1
as in coaxed
to get (someone) to do something by gentle urging, special attention, or flattery
she cunningly soft-soaped her parents into letting her go on the trip
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in applauded
to praise too much
shrewd voters who know when a politician is trying to soft-soap them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soft-soaped
Verb
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The goal of the study was to see whether or not participants could be coaxed into valuing a specific trait more purely based on experience alone.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025 -
Yet senior test kitchen editor Jesse Szewczyk recently took one of those pallid lumps and coaxed utter brilliance from it.—
Chris Morocco,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Reactions From Local Lawmakers While some lawmakers applauded the change, there were still criticisms.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
4 Sep. 2025
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On Chinese social media, users applauded the impressive hardware and discipline of the PLA – and drew comparisons to Trump’s military parade held in Washington in June.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Nadler, the long-serving congressman, praised his former aide and state assemblyman Micah Lasher but stopped short of supporting him.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
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Many internet users have praised Morrison and her team for saving Maple's life and those of her puppies too.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In a statement posted online, Secaucus Police Chief Dennis Miller commended the department for exercising restraint while responding to the incident.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
4 Sep. 2025
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Henneberry commended both the Haberman family and the community for finding a bright light and taking something that is terrible and making something that is beautiful.—
Cathy Kozlowicz,
jsonline.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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When the Niners clinched their spot in the coveted game, Brandt congratulated Purdy on the field.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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At the end of August, the All The Queen’s Men actress congratulated her man on his new law office in a warm and lengthy post on Instagram.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In order to get the best results, apply a small amount to clean, dry skin in the evening, gently massaged in until it’s fully absorbed.—
Celia Shatzman,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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This whole thing seems staged, planned, finagled, massaged, bamboozled, lollygagged, and all sorts of other long, silly-sounding words that may not necessarily apply to this situation.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Toronto first got to Junk in the third inning as Nathan Lukes stroked a leadoff double, advanced on Ernie Clement’s flyout and came home on Springer’s RBI single.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
24 Aug. 2025
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On the pitch, Rory Delap had one hand on his hip while the other stroked his chin.—
Max Mathews,
New York Times,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Harry Potter director Christopher Columbus doesn't seem very impressed by actor Nick Frost's transformation into Hagrid… but he is flattered.—
Shania Russell,
EW.com,
27 Aug. 2025
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More often than not, we're flattered and impressed when someone reaches out to us with a thoughtful message, Contois says.—
Sophie Caldwell,
CNBC,
18 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Soft-soaped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soft-soaped. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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