soft-soap
1 of 2verb
ˈsȯf(t)-ˈsōp 
soft-soaped; soft-soaping; soft-soaps
transitive verb
: to soothe or persuade with flattery or blarney
soft-soaper
ˈsȯf(t)-ˌsō-pər
noun soft soap
2 of 2noun
1
: a semifluid soap made especially from potassium hydroxide
2
: flattery
Synonyms
Verb
- blandish
- blarney
- cajole
- coax
- palaver
- sweet-talk
- wheedle
Noun
- adulation
- blarney
- butter
- flannel [British]
- flattery
- incense
- overpraise
- sweet talk
- taffy
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun a salesman who knows the value of soft soap in making a sale
Recent Examples on the Web
Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2021 For spills or stains, spot cleaning with soft soap like Zero or Woolite. Rachel Klein, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2021 Founder and Creative Director Joy Cho’s lifestyle brand offers whimsical products, spanning Band-Aids to soft soap as well as regular editorial content online. Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2021 Later, barber is seen crouching on his bed, holding lighted match under jam jar of water, soft soap and boot blacking. Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 25 May 2020 Potassium hydroxide, on the other hand, produces an easily soluble soft soap. C. Claiborne Ray, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2018
Noun
Founder and creative director Joy Cho’s lifestyle brand offers whimsical products, spanning bandages to soft soap, as well as regular editorial content online. Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2021 For spills or stains, spot cleaning with soft soap like Zero or Woolite. Rachel Klein, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2021 Founder and Creative Director Joy Cho’s lifestyle brand offers whimsical products, spanning Band-Aids to soft soap as well as regular editorial content online. Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2021 Later, barber is seen crouching on his bed, holding lighted match under jam jar of water, soft soap and boot blacking. Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 25 May 2020 Potassium hydroxide, on the other hand, produces an easily soluble soft soap. C. Claiborne Ray, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2018 Word History
First Known Use
Verb
1835, in the meaning defined above
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Medical Definition
soft soap
noun
: soap of a semifluid consistency made principally with potash and having various medical uses (as in the treatment of skin diseases)
specifically : green soap
soft-soaps
verb
1
as in coaxes
to get (someone) to do something by gentle urging, special attention, or flattery she cunningly soft-soaped her parents into letting her go on the trip Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- coaxes
- blandishes
- wheedles
- lures
- cajoles
- blarneys
- butters up
- palavers
- sweet-talks
- seduces
- entices
- woos
- overpraises
- urges
- massages
- begs
- cozens
- adulates
- importunes
- charms
- tempts
- beseeches
- wangles
- wiles
- flatters
- juggles
- finagles
- beguiles
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- cows
- bugs
- teases
- harasses
- bullies
- forces
- pesters
- nags
- requires
- intimidates
- demands
- compels
- makes
- constrains
- browbeats
- coerces
- bulldozes
- obliges
2
as in butters up
to praise too much shrewd voters who know when a politician is trying to soft-soap them Synonyms & Similar Words
- butters up
- massages
- honeys
- strokes
- overpraises
- belauds
- praises
- congratulates
- commends
- applauds
- adulates
- puffs
- blarneys
- blandishes
- flatters
- hero-worships
- wheedles
- coaxes
- toadies
- cajoles
- fawns
- woos
- compliments
- sweet-talks
- sucks (up to)
- romances
- kowtows
- courts
- idolizes
- eulogizes
- felicitates
- slavers
- extols
- endears
- worships
- ingratiates
- extolls
- lauds
- gushes
- slobbers
- drools
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- belittles
- depreciates
- disparages
- decries
- bad-mouths
- puts down