Dictionary

soft-pedal en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈsɑf(t)-/ (General-American)
• /ˈsɔf(t)ˌpɛdəl/ (General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˌsɒf(t)ˈpɛdl̩/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From soft pedal (“leftmost foot-pedal on most pianos which, when pushed, dampens the strings and so softens the note played”, noun).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To reduce the volume of (music, a sound, etc.).
2. (figuratively, transitive) To reduce the force or impact of (something); to damp, to mute; especially, to minimize the less desirable aspects of (something); to play down, to tone down.
   • But when the first female also-ran at a convention merits such hoopla and hosannas, then it is harder for viewers to understand why the Democrats seem intent on soft-pedaling their presumptive nominee's arguably more remarkable breakthrough. 2008 August 27, Alessandra Stanley, “Obama team soft-pedals a milestone in history”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 31 Mar 2023:
3. (figuratively, transitive) To attempt to persuade someone about (something) through understatement, so that the listener accepts the good points as obvious.
4. (figuratively, intransitive) Chiefly followed by on: to act in a less assertive or forceful manner.

Forms

Antonyms

spotlight · emphasize · highlight

Coordinates

soft-sell

Deriveds

soft-pedalling

Synonyms

de-emphasize · downplay

Translations (17)

sh prigušiti (to reduce the force or impact of (something) — see also damp, mute) · mk у́блажи (to reduce the force or impact of (something) — see also damp, mute) · fi vaimentaa (to reduce the volume of (music, a sound, etc.)) · it sottacere (to reduce the force or impact of (something) — see also damp, mute) · sh utišati (to reduce the volume of (music, a sound, etc.)) · sh umekšati (to reduce the volume of (music, a sound, etc.)) · it abbindolare (to attempt to persuade someone about (something) through understatement) · fi pehmitellä (to attempt to persuade someone about (something) through understatement) · sh ublažiti (to reduce the force or impact of (something) — see also damp, mute) · fi hiljentää (to reduce the volume of (music, a sound, etc.)) · de herunterspielen (to reduce the force or impact of (something) — see also damp, mute) · fi painaa villaisella (to reduce the force or impact of (something) — see also damp, mute) · fr mettre la pédale douce (to reduce the force or impact of (something) — see also damp, mute) · sh prigušiti (to reduce the volume of (music, a sound, etc.)) · fi vähätellä (to attempt to persuade someone about (something) through understatement) · fi maltillistua (to act in a less assertive or forceful manner) · fi pehmitellä (to reduce the force or impact of (something) — see also damp, mute)