as in to downplay
to reduce in apparent importance
she politely tries to soft-pedal her accomplishments when talking to less fortunate people
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Recent Examples of soft-pedal
Declan Gallagher and Chris Bellamy, EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
Popular on Variety Navarro doesn’t soft-pedal her disdain for recent remarks former President Donald Trump has made about immigrants eating dogs and cats — just one of the hot topics Phillip and a shifting ensemble of pundits, reporters and experts tackle each weeknight.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 18 Sep. 2024
But Morrow’s quiet intensity, which doesn’t soft-pedal Isaac’s arrogance and belligerence, has a haunting quality.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2024
The flood of reports on Biden’s deterioration is another form of the same careerist impulse that led media outlets to soft-pedal his condition in the first place.
—Noah Rothman, National Review, 3 July 2024
Louis-Dreyfus is wonderful in this, ready for anything, never soft-pedaling her character’s flaws or panic or fear.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2024
The playwright further soft-pedals the protagonist by mitigating his toxic views on eugenics that in Ibsen (no matter how problematic his own beliefs) point to some basic shortcomings in humanity.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2024
The controversy began with criticisms of some universities, Harvard included, for soft-pedaling their responses to the horrific Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, and for then ignoring the overheated rhetoric of many pro-Palestinian protesters on campus.
—Stephen L. Carter, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2024
Mann neither skimps on visceral excitement nor soft-pedals the horror, which makes Enzo’s indifference seem all the more maddening.
—Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2023
David A. Teich, Forbes, 10 Sep. 2024
This is a two-part skill; his superb legato (or connected articulation) on the keyboard was heightened by skillful deployment of both the sustaining and the soft pedal.
—Marcus Overton, sandiegouniontribune.com, 8 Jan. 2018
Verb
The movie One of the darkest true stories on this list, An American Crime never undersells or soft-pedals the ceaseless agony of Likens’ ordeal.
—Declan Gallagher and Chris Bellamy, EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
Popular on Variety Navarro doesn’t soft-pedal her disdain for recent remarks former President Donald Trump has made about immigrants eating dogs and cats — just one of the hot topics Phillip and a shifting ensemble of pundits, reporters and experts tackle each weeknight.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 18 Sep. 2024
But Morrow’s quiet intensity, which doesn’t soft-pedal Isaac’s arrogance and belligerence, has a haunting quality.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2024
The flood of reports on Biden’s deterioration is another form of the same careerist impulse that led media outlets to soft-pedal his condition in the first place.
—Noah Rothman, National Review, 3 July 2024
Louis-Dreyfus is wonderful in this, ready for anything, never soft-pedaling her character’s flaws or panic or fear.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2024
The playwright further soft-pedals the protagonist by mitigating his toxic views on eugenics that in Ibsen (no matter how problematic his own beliefs) point to some basic shortcomings in humanity.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2024
The controversy began with criticisms of some universities, Harvard included, for soft-pedaling their responses to the horrific Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, and for then ignoring the overheated rhetoric of many pro-Palestinian protesters on campus.
—Stephen L. Carter, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2024
Mann neither skimps on visceral excitement nor soft-pedals the horror, which makes Enzo’s indifference seem all the more maddening.
—Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2023
Noun
Authors aimed at the business market tend to soft pedal AI, speaking only about the benefits while downplaying or outright ignoring the dangers.
—David A. Teich, Forbes, 10 Sep. 2024
This is a two-part skill; his superb legato (or connected articulation) on the keyboard was heightened by skillful deployment of both the sustaining and the soft pedal.
—Marcus Overton, sandiegouniontribune.com, 8 Jan. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soft-pedal
Verb
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The Biden administration’s latest editions, however, downplay minimizing business paperwork burdens on the productive class.Clyde Wayne Crews Jr., Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
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Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell downplayed Trump’s threat of his removal, though economists anticipate the new president may not extend Powell’s term beyond its 2026 expiration.Benzinga, Detroit Free Press, 9 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The ongoing mechanical assembly included a heavy-duty track rod, drag link, Panhard bar, and a Terrafirma steering damper (keeping the underbody blemish-free are thick aluminum skid plates).Michael Harley, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
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This is also the first McLaren road car to use pushrods that are linked to inboard dampers, another aspect of the car’s ruthless aero optimization.Jason Barlow, WIRED, 6 Oct. 2024
Verb
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In contrast, the single-bore method minimizes street-level disruption.Dan Phan, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
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This method, which is based on the idea of moving to where the hottest deer sign and action can be found, is used by many hunters who decide to minimize their hunting gear footprint and overall carry weight.Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 7 Nov. 2024
Noun
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After accidentally starting a wildfire, 7-year-old Lu, mute and from an abusive home, slyly tricks Merribelle, a hardworking trans woman, into kidnapping her — sparking a beautifully unexpected bond with a devastating expiration date.Vulture, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2022
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After accidentally starting a wildfire, 7-year-old Lu, mute and from an abusive home, slyly tricks Merribelle, a hardworking trans woman, into kidnapping her – sparking a beautifully unexpected bond with a devastating expiration date.Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Dec. 2022
Verb
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Though New Mexico special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey has filed motions for Judge Sommer to reconsider her decision to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter case against Baldwin, Sommer rebuked those arguments and has declined to reconsider Morrissey's case multiple times in recent months.Tommy McArdle, People.com, 19 Nov. 2024
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Douglas, who was in the final year of his contract after being hired in 2019, was not consulted by Johnson when the owner made the decision to dismiss Saleh and replace him on an interim basis with defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich.Dennis Waszak Jr., Twin Cities, 19 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Inspired by the Ducati Desmosedici, there is a box-style muffler cleverly integrated into the rear fender, and the headers have been hand-sand-bent.New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2024
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In addition to the ECU, other upgrades include a Steeda Autosports under-drive supercharger pulley, Borla long-tube headers, and a Ford Performance muffler.Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 3 Sep. 2024
Noun
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Nestled on Spain’s storied Costa del Sol, saturated with sun for much of the year, Marbella is the answer for a quieter yet still luxurious beach getaway with excellent food, shopping, golf, and nightlife.Devorah Lev-Tov, Travel + Leisure, 1 Oct. 2024
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The best time to visit Greece might not be the peak months of June, July, and August, but rather, the quieter (and more affordable) shoulder season months of April, May, and October.Jill Krasny, Travel + Leisure, 21 Feb. 2024
Articles Related to soft-pedal
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Cite this Entry
“Soft-pedal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soft-pedal. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
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