softened; softening
ˈsȯ-fə-niŋ 
ˈsȯf-niŋ
1
: to make soft or softer
2
a
: 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
: to become soft or softer
her face softened
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
Freezing is best when using your onions for cooked dishes like soups, stews, sautés, or stir-fries, as the texture will soften after thawing.
—
Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 21 June 2025
Has the business with Grady softened their stance on him at all?
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 20 June 2025
At some point, the current ACIP might see fit to soften the existing guidelines, or even advise the CDC to remove the vaccine recommendations for certain groups.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 19 June 2025
Just in the past few weeks, as reported, some of the smaller brands also started to get checks, softening their stance about the retailer.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for soften
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 21 June 2025
Has the business with Grady softened their stance on him at all?
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 20 June 2025
At some point, the current ACIP might see fit to soften the existing guidelines, or even advise the CDC to remove the vaccine recommendations for certain groups.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 19 June 2025
Just in the past few weeks, as reported, some of the smaller brands also started to get checks, softening their stance about the retailer.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for soften
Cite this Entry
“Soften.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soften. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
soften
verb
soft·en
ˈsȯ-fən
softened; softening
ˈsȯf-(ə-)niŋ
1
: to make or become soft or softer
2
: to lessen the strength of
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share