as in criticism
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in minimizing
to reduce in apparent importance
she politely tries to soft-pedal her accomplishments when talking to less fortunate people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soft-pedaling
Noun
-
So far, Trumps criticism of Powell doesn’t appear to have had any bearing on monetary policy, despite temporarily shaking the markets in late April when it was believed Trump might try to fire Powell.—
Simon Moore,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025 -
The top seeds cruised on the men’s side of the French Open and the scheduling of women’s tennis matches drew more criticism from a pair of American stars.—
Sam Settleman,
New York Times,
1 June 2025
Verb
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Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights remain unlit, minimizing the chance of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Mar. 2025
-
These kinds of films are already built on minimizing pain, not just for our hero but for all the characters.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Too often, boards respond by downplaying concerns, offering vague explanations, or shifting blame elsewhere.—
Committee of 200,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Abandoning Ukraine and Europe and downplaying the Middle East to prioritize the Indo-Pacific is not a clever geopolitical chess move.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
There has been widespread international condemnation, particularly from the UN.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
3 June 2025
-
Musk and his team have swept through the government in recent months, slashing federal contracts and cutting staff — drawing applause from Trump allies and condemnation from opponents.—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
30 May 2025
Verb
-
Most importantly, the proposal provides that, when discovery items are turned over belatedly, judges can impose consequences that stop short of dismissing the whole case, if a lesser remedy can ensure fairness to the defendant.—
Jane Manning,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2025
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Just a few days later, the Israeli government effectively began the process of dismissing Gali Baharav-Miara, Israel’s attorney general.—
Aaron Boxerman,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Springsteen is a passionate liberal who has campaigned for every Democratic candidate for president over the past two decades, and he’s made no effort to disguise his contempt for President Trump, but this is his most passionate denunciation of him to date.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
14 May 2025
-
Angry public denunciations of Glassman soon followed.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
10 May 2025
Noun
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Stupar declined to comment on the censure, referring any questions to Lynch, who is president of the board.—
Regina Elling,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 May 2025
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Libby filed her lawsuit against Fecteau to have the censure overturned on March 11.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2025
Noun
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Mike the promoter and his right-hand man, Shorty, a person with dwarfism who comes in for page after page of ableist invective.—
Lauren Elkin,
New York Times,
20 May 2025
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Oilers fans booed the American national anthem, and one woman used a lull to shout an invective about Mr. Trump.—
John Branch,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Soft-pedaling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soft-pedaling. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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