soft pedal
Minimize the emphasis
Soft pedal refers to the leftmost pedal on a piano, which mutes or softens the sound when depressed.
The figurative meaning dominates modern usage: to soft-pedal something is to downplay or de-emphasize it, to treat it gently rather than forcefully: The administration soft-pedaled the bad economic news.
Also spelled soft-pedal as a verb.
Reduce to smallest extent
- understateExpress with restraint
- play downDiminish perceived significance
- de-emphasizeMinimize perceived significance
- gloss overMinimize or conceal flaws
tone down · underplay · brush aside · make light of · whitewash · sugarcoat · diminish · moderate
minimize
Reduce to smallest extent
- understateExpress with restraint
- play downDiminish perceived significance
- de-emphasizeMinimize perceived significance
gloss over · tone down · underplay · brush aside · make light of · whitewash · sugarcoat · diminish · moderate · temper
muffle
Deaden or suppress sound
soften · buffer · attenuate · suppress · stifle · quell · subdue · smother · dull · blunt
damper
Device reducing vibration or flow
sustain · keyboard · hammer · strings · grand piano · upright piano · pedaling · touch · resonance · expression
- piano pedals
- Pianogrand piano, upright piano, fortepiano, piano strings, soundboard
- pedalsaccelerator, foot brake, treadle
- brake problemsbrake fade, grinding noise, brake squeal, worn shoes, ABS light
- digital pianokeys, pedals, weighted keys, touch sensitivity, polyphony
- media spinspin doctor, media spin, talking points, framing, reframing
soft pedalemphasize
Stress the importance of
stress · highlight · amplify · play up · accentuate
soft pedalsustain pedal
Piano's rightmost foot lever
damper pedal · fortissimo · amplify · full volume · crescendo
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