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 boy who walked the moors freely and called the wild things to him, who spoke to animals and coaxed life out of the cold ground.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026 -
Gentile and the story coaxed from Elene nearly two decades ago remain at the center of the investigation and accounts for much of Kelly’s the book.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Lutz has applauded Miller’s hiring; the coaches plan to have lunch this week.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
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Schumacher applauded the work Pederson has been putting in, saying the results haven’t matched the effort, but the Rangers will need that to change in the regular season.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Tehran praised its attack as a show of strength, even as Israel's military asserts that Iranian missile launches have decreased since the war began.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Mar. 2026
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The shows were widely praised for their cinematic scale, live instrumentation, and the palpable sense of reverence from fans who had grown alongside the music.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the remainder of her remarks, Takaichi congratulated the United States on its 250th anniversary and said Japan will gift Washington, DC, an additional 250 cherry trees.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
20 Mar. 2026
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Everyone congratulated her, from security guards to Uber drivers to waitresses.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Kirsch is to be commended for making a leap that few ever do.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Mar. 2026
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Several board members commended the speakers and noted that the students were eloquent in their speeches.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The main specific risk is the potential for nodules or granulomas (small bumps) forming under the skin, especially if improperly placed or massaged.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Korean scalp treatments often come in lightweight, fast-absorbing liquids, essences, or refreshing tonics designed to be massaged directly into the scalp without leaving hair greasy or weighed down.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Davidson, a 6-foot-1 freshman, stroked a perfect shot from the right side to send the Trojans (18-13) into a second-round matchup with top seed South Carolina on Monday.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
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One contestant in a Travis Kelce butt cut leaped over an ironing board; another held a tape measure to his crotch and stroked it.—
Rebecca Jennings,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This needn’t been a timid admission;—she’d be flattered to hear it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
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Epstein flattered them and gave them advice to build trust.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
6 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Soft-soaped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soft-soaped. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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