soft-soaping

verb

present participle of soft-soap
1
as in coaxing
to get (someone) to do something by gentle urging, special attention, or flattery she cunningly soft-soaped her parents into letting her go on the trip

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in massaging
to praise too much shrewd voters who know when a politician is trying to soft-soap them

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for soft-soaping
  1. coaxing
  2. massaging
  3. praising
  4. stroking
  5. commending
  6. congratulating
  7. applauding
  8. buttering up
Verb
  • The neighborhood/area A mile and a half away lies the pretty village of Lyndhurst, with its tourist-coaxing fudge shops and pubs, and a Ferrari dealer plonked incongruously among the red brick and timber quaintness.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The curtness in his father’s voice was replaced by a syrupy, coaxing tone.
    — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of coaxing
Verb
  • Luzon layered her signature 24-karat gold mask over a professional-use DNA mask, massaging the treatment to enhance absorption.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • This is all without compromising the skin barrier, and offering a massaging action that enhances relaxation and turns a functional step into a spa-like treatment as a small wellness ritual.
    — Laura Sandroni, Vogue, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of massaging
Verb
  • At the same time, the Daily Beast reported on the Fielder fandom, with devotees praising his voice, competence and willingness to debase himself for the camera.
    — David Mack, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
  • On Friday, Netanyahu appeared to make an electoral pitch to Israel’s settler right, praising them as serving Israel by establishing 100 new communities and farms in the West Bank.
    — Gerry Shih, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of praising
Verb
  • Guests have reported footsteps in the attic, the feeling of someone stroking their face, a shower rode repeatedly flying off the wall and loud noises from outside the front door when no one is there.
    — Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026
  • There was only one other visitor, another mother stroking another small head.
    — Fran Moreland Johns, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026
Definition of stroking
Verb
  • Two Democratic political organizations are running adverts on the House’s bill to ban congressional stock trading, criticizing a Republican over the vote while commending a Democrat running in a different district for supporting the bill.
    — Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Related Articles The runway appearance of both Hosk and Palvin has set the internet aflame, with awed viewers commending the new moms and calling attention to the indelible power of women.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of commending
Verb
  • How Mana got his start A young man walking on Flagler recognized Mana and stopped to shake his hand, congratulating him on the recent billion-dollar sale in Wynwood.
    — Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Please join me in congratulating Kayleen and welcoming Maria to XBOX!
    — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of congratulating
Verb
  • Ormond’s lawyers issued a statement on Thursday applauding the ruling.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Cam Smith spoiled a third consecutive two-strike slider, stared into the first-base dugout and saw his manager applauding.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of applauding
Verb
  • Yet, this will take a great deal of finesse, including pushing through a bill in parliament by buttering up Lord Hawthorne (Hugh Bonneville), who is willing to trade his vote for a night out with Susie’s brother, Jack (Harry Goodwins).
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Ben spends the afternoon buttering up Ellie and praising her cake-icing skills, and even gives her the task of decorating the wedding cake.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of buttering up
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Soft-soaping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soft-soaping. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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