1
as in coaxes
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in massages
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-soaps
Verb
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The shell is formed through stamping and laser-cutting, a process that coaxes aluminum sheets into the collection signature rounded curves without sacrificing structural integrity.—
John Wogan,
Travel + Leisure,
1 June 2026 -
Pig-butchering scams, in which a stranger pretends to befriend you and then coaxes you into putting money into a cryptocurrency scam, don’t involve that same act now urgency.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
1 June 2026
Verb
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The center also has hydrotherapy chairs where athletes can lie as a jet of water, similar but much stronger than the jets in a jacuzzi, massages them.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
19 Nov. 2025
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In a viral video shared on Instagram last Sunday under the username @whiskeytoller, the gray kitty can be seen hanging around his brother, Oakley, as his mom massages the injured area, doing his best to show his love and support.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Anything Oprah repeatedly praises immediately piques my interest, but even more so when her favorites are podiatrist favorites.—
Alyssa Morin,
InStyle,
30 May 2026
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Environmental group praises acquisition Environmental advocates hailed the acquisition as a milestone for Hill Country preservation.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Pat O'Donnell, executive director of SAG-AFTRA's Washington-Mid Atlantic Local, which represents hundreds of NPR journalists, commends the network's approach to making job cuts.—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
18 May 2026
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Miss Manners commends you for not being one of them.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
12 May 2026
Verb
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When Robbie first strokes the plush walls, her Cathy stares with the appropriate mix of awe and terror.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
9 Feb. 2026
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For an artisanal twist, look no further than Ezcaray Matisse throw that looks as if Georgia O’Keeffe applied the paint brush strokes herself.—
Kristine Hansen,
Architectural Digest,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Trump congratulates the Swanson family.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
26 May 2026
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Don congratulates the rest of the team and continues to work, while Kate, Bailey and Erin celebrate with drinks together.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
Verb
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But later that year, applauds turned into discontent voiced in several closed session meetings.—
Desiree Mathurin,
Charlotte Observer,
27 May 2026
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Palace centre-back Maxence Lacroix doesn’t know which way to turn, Iwobi ends up with his hands on his head, Sander Berge simply stands and applauds.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
22 May 2026
Verb
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With its telltale cone shape, the northernmost of Sicily's Aeolian Islands is home to a volcano that puffs on a near-constant basis.—
Elizabeth Heath,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Mar. 2026
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But The Bagel Nut Duo, chocolate croissants, yellow sheet cake, and a bag of Cacio e Pepe puffs to eat your feelings about yet another recall.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
20 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Soft-soaps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soft-soaps. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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