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Definition of soften
softened
;softening
play \ˈsȯ-fə-niŋ, ˈsȯf-niŋ\transitive verb
1 : to make soft or softer
2a : to weaken the military resistance or the morale of especially by harassment (such as preliminary bombardment) —often used with upb : to impair the strength or resistance of —often used with up soften up a sales prospect
intransitive verb
: to become soft or softer her face softened
Explore Merriam-Webster
Examples of soften in a Sentence
The butter will soften if left on the counter overnight.
The recipe called for one stick of butter, softened.
The oil is used to soften and preserve the leather.
The lotion softens dry skin.
The company has softened its stance on dating in the workplace.
Her face softened when he entered the room.
His criticism of the president has softened in the past year.
The grass softened my fall.
Recent Examples of soften from the Web
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Her witchy, black-inflected look has softened a bit with time: Witness her recent lace-accented Givenchy dress-over-pants look, or her gray patterned Proenza Schouler crop top with matching trousers.
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Unlike the House plan, however, the Senate plan would fund Obamacare exchange cost-sharing subsidies through 2019, which would soften some of the immediate impacts of a less generous tax credit.
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By 2017, Handel's delivery, though not her stance, had softened somewhat.
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Competing on a first-time U.S. Open venue that was softened by overnight rains, leaving players to attack to receptive greens not usually encountered at the national championship, and playing on a day with little wind, Thomas made the most of it.
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When the club traded top prospect Wil Myers, then a corner outfielder, to the Tampa Bays Rays in a December 2012 deal that netted James Shields and Wade Davis, the presence of Bonifacio in the system softened the loss in the front office.
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Let simmer on medium-low, stirring often, until strawberries soften and juices thicken slightly, about 25 minutes.
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Her doctor also prescribed her an anxiety medication, a pain reliever, and the hormone misoprostol, which softens the cervix to make IUD insertion easier.
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Soren and his animators soften the hard-plastic look of the characters' CGI faces with a rubbery kind of humanity.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'soften'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of soften
14th century
SOFTEN Defined for English Language Learners
soften
playDefinition of soften for English Language Learners
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: to become less hard or firm or to make (something) less hard or firm
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: to make (something) less dry or rough
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: to make (something) less severe, harsh, extreme, etc.
SOFTEN Defined for Kids
soften
playDefinition of soften for Students
softened
;softening
1 : to make or become soft or less firm Let the wax soften in the sun.
2 : to make or become gentler or less harsh The elder's stern expression softened. — Brian Jacques, Redwall
softener
nounLearn More about soften
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See words that rhyme with soften Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for soften Spanish Central: Translation of soften Nglish: Translation of soften for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of soften for Arabic speakers
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