soft-pedalling

Toning it down

Soft-pedalling is downplaying or de-emphasizing something, treating it as less important or serious than it might be: The company has been soft-pedalling concerns about the data breach.

The term comes from the piano's soft pedal, which mutes the sound.

Also spelled soft-pedaling.

downplaying

minimizing

Reducing to smallest extent

understatingRepresenting as less significant
playing downMinimizing importance of something
glossing overSuperficially covering faults

de-emphasizing · toning down · muting · dampening · sugar-coating · whitewashing · trivializing · diminishing · deflecting · skirting

musical

damper

Device reducing vibration or flow

pianoKeyed percussion instrument
sustainKeep something going continuously
mutedMade quieter or softer

quieter · dynamics · pianissimo · technique · tone · volume · subdued · legato · gentle · controlled

Opposites

emphasis/intensity of presentation

soft-pedallingexaggerating

Overstating for effect

overplaying · playing up · overemphasizing · amplifying · hyping

directness/confrontation

soft-pedallingconfronting

Addressing directly

calling out · telling it like it is · reading the riot act · spelling out

disclosure/transparency

soft-pedallinghighlighting

Emphasizing key parts

spotlighting · exposing · bringing to light · laying bare · foregrounding

Family

soft, pedal, pedals, pedalled, pedaling, soft-pedal, soft-pedals, soft-pedaled, soft-pedalled

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Everyday, not technical · Rated G