soften

verb

soft·en | \ ˈsȯ-fən

softened; softening\ ˈsȯ-fə-niŋ

, ˈsȯf-niŋ \

Definition of soften

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 up

b : 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

Other Words from soften Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about soften

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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 on the Web

And under the leadership of Sundar Pichai, Google seems to be softening its hardline stance. — Timothy B. Lee, Ars Technica, "Google employees demand that Google stop work on censored Chinese search," 27 Nov. 2018 Some analysts said peace may have softened the stance of many Colombians against ex-rebels, allowing a former guerrilla to make headway. — New York Times, "Iván Duque, a Young Populist, Is Elected Colombia’s President," 17 June 2018 While Wagner has recently tried to soften his combative tone, his appearance with Pence would reinforce his links to Trump. — Jonathan Tamari, Philly.com, "Pence, Wagner to visit Philly for GOP fund-raiser next week," 13 June 2018 According to newspaper La Repubblica, the push to soften the stance on the euro came from Five Star. — John Follain, Bloomberg.com, "Italy Populists Say Government Talks Entering Final Stretch," 16 May 2018 But when their resolution went before the supervisors’ Land Use and Transportation Committee Monday, Chairwoman Katy Tang, a moderate, persuaded Peskin to soften his stance. — Rachel Swan, San Francisco Chronicle, "SF supervisors opposed to Wiener’s housing-transit bill soften stance a bit," 12 Mar. 2018 There are masculine silhouettes and men’s tailoring in the debut collection, but those items are cinched at the waist with a garment of Castiglioni’s invention and softened by bright colors. — Erik Maza, Town & Country, "Plan C, the New Label From the Family Behind Marni, Is the Coolest Thing to Come out of Milan," 27 Feb. 2019 The earthy, grassy taste of the tea was softened by the buttercream separating each layer. — Lauren Delgado, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Urban Hibachi Sushi & Grill plates up elegant Japanese fare," 30 June 2018 While the news will be devastating to Napoli fans - Jorginho has proved himself a key figure for the club - the blow will be softened by the club's latest transfer links. — SI.com, "Report: Man City Has €50M Deal for Napoli Star Jorginho," 30 May 2018

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.