as in downplayed
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-pedaled
In fact, several of the investigators believed the shooting was intentional, and that the Biden administration had actually soft-pedaled the investigation’s findings to appease Israel.
—
Scott Griffen, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Scott Griffen, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soft-pedaled
Verb
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Perhaps in response, a Microsoft executive downplayed the company's AI focus last month while talking up major improvements to future Windows 11 updates.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
3 Apr. 2026
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Scientific evidence shows that kratom carries real risks that are often downplayed or misunderstood.—
Andrew Kolodny,
The Conversation,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Because the condition affects balance and coordination, veterinarians recommend keeping affected cats in safe, predictable spaces where hazards like slippery floors, high furniture and stairs are minimized.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
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Around 400 were involved in experiments where pain was not minimized.—
Quinn Clark,
jsonline.com,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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When a Groyper account on X suggested that Jewish people were responsible for contemporary German immigration policy, Rogers, using her official State Department account, dismissed the claim as nonsense.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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And yet, when HB 1098 was introduced in 2023, critics dismissed it as a solution in search of a problem.—
Lisa Frizell,
Denver Post,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The changes have included an overhaul of Google’s ubiquitous search engine that has de-emphasized a listing of relevant web links in its results and increasingly highlighted AI overviews and conversational responses provided through an AI mode.—
Michael Liedtke,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Soft-pedaled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soft-pedaled. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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