SOFT-PEDALING Synonyms: 81 Similar and Opposite Words

soft-pedaling 1 of 2

noun

as in criticism

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

soft-pedaling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of soft-pedal

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

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-pedaling

Verb

Whatever your preconceived notions about Feldman are, Hume’s film will expand and challenge them; the movie’s greatness lies in its ability to capture all of Feldman’s contradictions and self-destructiveness, empathizing with him without soft-pedaling his sins. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2026 Nothing grates quite like those slick pharmaceutical ads blaring across the TV, promising quick fixes while soft-pedaling potential side effects. — Alex Ward, Boston Herald, 15 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for soft-pedaling

Noun

Either way, Steve Sarkisian has noticed something different about his quarterback this week, which also comes at a time of heightened criticism towards the Texas offense.

— Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
The government efforts to make sure that male royals are producing male emperors have triggered criticisms.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of criticism

Verb

Compensation and advancement below the partner level can’t just be about minimizing cost.

— Tim Brackney, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Tsai, the Stanford professor, has conducted research on how emotion in American culture puts value on trying to always feel positive and minimizing negativity and sadness.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of minimizing

Noun

That’s why some of the least glamorous line items (identity, segmentation, logging, vendor control and data minimization) in a multi-year technology program determine how effective the rest of the spending was.

— James Lindsey, Forbes.com, 24 Sep. 2026
Federal trade regulators already urge clear prepurchase disclosures and data minimization for connected products.

— Jihun Joun, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of minimization

Verb

But since SpaceX floated the idea of becoming a US carrier, T-Mobile has been downplaying satellite connectivity and even suggested working with other satellite partners.

— Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026
Eight states sued OpenAI this week, alleging that the AI company caused severe harm to users, many of them underage, while downplaying the risks of its technology.

— Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of downplaying

Noun

The Johnson County pastor and the former rural doctor traded condemnations, repeatedly turning policy questions into opportunities to cast doubt on each other’s character and fitness for office.

— Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
Under Ben-Gvir, Israeli police have increasingly allowed Jews to pray at the site, a deliberate provocation to the Arab world, drawing condemnation from Palestinian and Jordanian authorities.

— Eric Cortellessa, Time, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of condemnation

Verb

In September, Judge Jonathan Medema ordered a stay of the civil case so the two sides could work to resolve the dispute without dismissing the case.

— Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 22 Oct. 2026
The court granted that request, entering judgment for the United States on Count III of the government’s complaint and dismissing the remaining counts as moot.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of dismissing

Noun

For protesters, that record sits uneasily besides the prime minister’s denunciation of violence against women.

— Amrita Basu, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2026
The frontrunner is Marine Le Pen, who has worked for years to make her far-right party, the National Rally, more electable while campaigning on immigration, crime, and denunciation of an out-of-touch political class.

— Nicholas Bequelin, Time, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of denunciation

Noun

Following Rourke’s denouncement of the GoFundMe effort, Hines told fans that if Rourke didn’t want the money, donors would be reimbursed.

— Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 15 Jan. 2026
In coordination with former President Franklin Roosevelt’s public denouncement of discrimination of Black Americans, Plato, president of the Plato Construction Company, was contracted to build 88 houses on the site of Camp Taylor, the former military installation in southwest Louisville.

— Steve Wiser, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 Nov. 2025

Definition of denouncement

Browse Nearby Words

soft-pedaled

soft-pedaling

soft-pedals

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Soft-pedaling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soft-pedaling. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of soft-pedaling

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

shindig

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes