Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

soft-pedal

/ˈsɔf(t)ˌpɛdəl/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.60 in modern English

Syllables
soft-ped-al
IPA
/ˈsɔf(t)ˌpɛdəl/
15
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
2
Syllables
9
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To reduce the volume of (music, a sound, etc.).

Transitive verb

verb

To reduce the force or impact of (something); to damp, to mute; especially, to minimize the less desirable aspects of (something); to play down, to tone down.

Transitive verb

verb

To attempt to persuade someone about (something) through understatement, so that the listener accepts the good points as obvious.

Transitive verb

verb

Chiefly followed by on: to act in a less assertive or forceful manner.

Intransitive verb

Example Sentences

Etymology

From soft pedal (“leftmost foot-pedal on most pianos which, when pushed, dampens the strings and so softens the note played”, noun).

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈsɔf(t)ˌpɛdəl/
  • British English: /ˌsɒf(t)ˈpɛdl̩/

Usage

Inflected Forms

soft-pedals (present, singular) soft-pedaling (US, participle) soft-pedalling (UK, participle) soft-pedaled (US, participle) soft-pedaled (US, past) soft-pedalled (UK, participle) soft-pedalled (UK, past)

Phrases

soft-pedalling

Frequently Paired Words

soft-sell

Synonyms

de-emphasize downplay

Homonyms

soft pedal

Antonyms

emphasize highlight spotlight

Questions

How do you pronounce soft-pedal?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈsɔf(t)ˌpɛdəl/.
What does soft-pedal mean?
To reduce the volume of (music, a sound, etc.).
Where does soft-pedal come from?
From soft pedal (“leftmost foot-pedal on most pianos which, when pushed, dampens the strings and so softens the note played”, noun).

How to pronounce soft-pedal

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “soft-pedal”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈsɔf(t)ˌpɛdəl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “soft-pedal”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “soft-pedal” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.