soft-pedal

That hasn’t caused him to soft-pedal his accusations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026

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

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 17, 2023

If Lynn, who died Tuesday at age 90, ever learned to soft-pedal an emotion, she never revealed it onstage or in the studio.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2022

No need to soft-pedal your unreasonable antipathy, Amy.

From Washington Post ● May 8, 2022

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

From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin

“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

When the old folks went to bed, our hostess would find a pack of cards—authors, most likely—or play a waltz on the soft pedal for two couples to dance.

From Otherwise Phyllis by Gibson, Charles Dana

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

What some might see as soft-pedaling criticism, agency officials say was diplomacy in action.

From New York Times ● Mar. 11, 2023

It’s a strange choice, one made doubly so by the continual soft-pedaling in portraying Japan’s colonization of Korea.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 25, 2022

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