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• soft pedal
  soft pedal

  noun

  a pedal, as on a piano, for reducing tonal volume.
• soft-pedal
  soft-pedal

  verb (used without object)

  to use the soft pedal.

soft pedal

¹ American  

noun

1. Also called una corda pedal.  a pedal, as on a piano, for reducing tonal volume.

2. Informal. something that restrains or dampens.

   to put a soft pedal on one's enthusiasm.

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soft-pedal ² American  

[sawft-ped-l, soft-] / ˌsɔftˈpɛd l, ˌsɒft- /

verb (used without object)

soft-pedaled, soft-pedaling, soft-pedalled, soft-pedalling

1. to use the soft pedal.

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verb (used with object)

soft-pedaled, soft-pedaling, soft-pedalled, soft-pedalling

1. to soften the sound of by using the soft pedal.

2. Informal. to tone or play down; make less strong, as an idea or fact.

   The dean soft-pedaled the reports of cheating.

soft-pedal British  

verb

1. to mute the tone of (a piano) by depressing the soft pedal

2. informal to make (something, esp something unpleasant) less obvious by deliberately failing to emphasize or allude to it

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noun

1. a foot-operated lever on a piano, the left one of two, that either moves the whole action closer to the strings so that the hammers strike with less force or causes fewer of the strings to sound Compare sustaining pedal piano 1

soft pedal Idioms  

1. Something that de-emphasizes, restrains, or plays down, as in The mayor put a soft pedal on this potentially explosive situation. This expression alludes to the una corda or soft pedal of the piano, which reduces the volume of the sound. It gave rise to the verb soft-pedal, meaning both “reduce the volume of” or “make less emphatic, downplay.” [Early 1900s]

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Etymology

Origin of soft pedal¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Origin of soft-pedal²

First recorded in 1915–20; v. use of noun phrase soft pedal

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

soft pedal soft-pedal soft-pedaled soft-pedaling soft-pedalled soft-pedalling

“For local politicians, it’s a pretty easy call when 60, 70, 80% of their county voted ‘no’ on the issue, to soft pedal it and not treat it like a serious crime,” he said.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 13, 2024

And even though Slate’s Matt Yglesias tries to soft pedal his designation by saying Snowden’s not necessarily the “best” but simply the most “influential” figure of the year, he’s wrong.

From Forbes ● Dec. 18, 2013

I had a few spots where I wanted to soft pedal but maintain speed.

From Reuters ● May 18, 2012

I thought that later I might also play the piano, something quiet, using the soft pedal.

From "Z for Zachariah" by Robert C. O’Brien

A too frequent use of the soft pedal does tend to a neglect of the pianissimo touch, and it should, therefore, be discouraged.

From Piano Playing: With Piano Questions Answered by Hofmann, Josef

Then-National Security Adviser John Bolton and other top aides managed to soft-pedal the decision, leaving a residual force in the country.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 22, 2026

But Morrow’s quiet intensity, which doesn’t soft-pedal Isaac’s arrogance and belligerence, has a haunting quality.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2024

But this is a longstanding problem, and it helps no one to soft-pedal that reality.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 17, 2023

The director, Phyllis Nagy, making her feature film debut, has embraced unobtrusiveness as a style, perhaps to soft-pedal the material.

From New York Times ● Oct. 27, 2022

I braced myself against his request, fearing he would ask me to soft-pedal.

From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin

Rubin himself, ethnic and racial strife is ignored or soft-pedaled.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2023

Ideological differences that were "soft-pedaled a year or two ago" were suddenly getting "a high-octane emphasis."

From Salon ● Nov. 21, 2022

Jackson had soft-pedaled economic questions while campaigning, but he privately believed that government support for economic change would tempt lawmakers and businessmen to trade favors corruptly.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 18, 2018

During Tuesday’s meeting, Kobach soft-pedaled the column, emphasizing that it was only 800 words and saying he struggled over certain verb choices.

From Slate ● Sep. 13, 2017

He soft-pedaled the committee's controversial provision for the use of economic sanctions against recalcitrant businessmen, stressing instead the duty of commanders to press for changes through voluntary compliance.

From Integration of the Armed Forces, 1940-1965 by MacGregor, Morris J.

This may be soft-pedaling matters somewhat — to read the historical accounts might give you a different picture — but as drama it pays dividends.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2025

By soft-pedaling safety, Mr. Clarke sends the wrong message to subway employees who have been repeatedly implicated in neglecting procedures, problems and protocols.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 4, 2022

It’s not that we were soft-pedaling the ideology—that’s just not where the ideology comes in for her.

From Slate ● May 27, 2020

Nothing is to be gained, at this point, by soft-pedaling any initiative.

From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2019

“I’d like to hear a little more about the trip to Fort Scott,” he said, soft-pedaling.

From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote

In contrast to China, Seoul - which has been keen to build ties with Japan - has soft-pedalled its concerns and on Tuesday it said it "respects" the IAEA's findings.

From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2023

But Mr Cryan has soft-pedalled on the sale.

From Economist ● Jul. 14, 2016

To date, Swann's absence for remedial surgery on his elbow injury has been stoically soft-pedalled.

From The Guardian ● Mar. 15, 2013

The debates are not soft-pedalled, yet Barker's targets, neatly pleated together, are sufficiently varied for the drama not to seem narrowly didactic.

From The Guardian ● Oct. 13, 2012

Simon always maintained not everyone could handle too much soft-pedalled reality.

From The Land of Look Behind by Brown, Paul Cameron

If it comes to fruition, there would be no sentimental soft-pedalling from Jones though.

From BBC ● Apr. 25, 2026

It has also raised questions whether his approach on human rights with China - he characterised it as "patience" but others criticised it as soft-pedalling - was justified in the end.

From BBC ● Dec. 30, 2024

It would be soft-pedalling things to say that all does not end well for her.

From The Guardian ● Jul. 25, 2015

Mourinho, furiously soft-pedalling, may have played this one just right.

From The Guardian ● Mar. 4, 2013

The BBC's Jeremy Bowen in Sanaa says Yemen has been accused of soft-pedalling on al-Qaeda and is currently under pressure from its ally the US to produce results.

From BBC ● Jan. 7, 2010