soft-pedal 1 of 2

soft pedal

2 of 2

noun

as in damper

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of soft-pedal
Verb
Jean-Baptiste, her mouth set in a tight-lipped frown, her eyes ablaze with fear and loathing, soft-pedals nothing. Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2025 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
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
  • Despite this, Trump has downplayed climate change's role.
    Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025
  • But on the latest episode of the New Heights podcast, Kelce downplayed talk about stepping up his game in the playoffs.
    Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 23 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Polestar says the performance pack has been popular with early customers, and while those with their own tools can adjust the dampers at home, a visit to the service centre is recommended.
    Alistair Charlton, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
  • That could effectively serve as a damper pedal on baseball's already notoriously slow-developing free-agent market.
    Jon Paul Hoornstra, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • This opens a familiar interface, and based on the video attached to the announcement, the platform seems to have options to cast the video to a bigger screen or minimize it.
    Jibin Joseph, PCMAG, 20 Jan. 2025
  • Try to reduce high blood pressure, manage diabetes and cholesterol, avoid smoking, and minimize alcohol intake.
    Alyssa Hui-Anderson, Verywell Health, 20 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • 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
  • What’s more, tech companies have hired workers in growing areas such as AI while at the same time dismissing workers in less-promising sectors.
    George Avalos, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2025
  • In his memo, Mizelle also instructed the department to dismiss three existing FACE Act cases.
    Aysha Bagchi, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • That doesn’t mean a wildfire wasn’t possible; something as minor as the heat from a car muffler can spark a blaze where vegetation is dry.
    Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Jan. 2025
  • There's even a new muffler that sounds a little raspy.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near soft-pedal

softness

soft-pedal

soft pedal

Cite this Entry

“Soft-pedal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soft-pedal. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

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