soft pedaling
Toning it down
Soft pedaling is understating or downplaying something, usually to avoid controversy or minimize its apparent significance: The administration has been soft pedaling the economic risks.
The term comes from the piano's soft pedal, which mutes the sound.
Also spelled soft-pedaling.
- downplayingDiminishing perceived significance
- minimizingReducing to smallest extent
- understatingRepresenting as less significant
- watering downMaking weaker or milder
- mutingSuppressing sound output
hushing · toning down · taking the edge off · dampening · subduing · cushioning · glossing over · sweeping under the rug · playing down · piano · gentle · quiet · restraint · smoothing over · deflecting · evasive · diplomatic · tactful
soft pedalingamplifying
Increasing strength or intensity
emphasizing · playing up · accentuating · highlighting · underscoring
soft pedalingcalling out
Publicly confronting behavior
exposing · confronting · laying bare · bringing to light · airing dirty laundry
soft pedalinghyping
Promoting with exaggeration
touting · plugging · boosting · puffing up · overselling
soft, pedal, softer, softest, softly, soften, softened, softening, softener