soften

verb

soft·​en ˈsȯ-fən 

softened; softening ˈsȯ-fə-niŋ 

ˈsȯf-niŋ

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

: to become soft or softer

her face softened

softener

ˈsȯ-fə-nər 

ˈsȯf-nər

noun

Synonyms of soften

• weaken

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

The bread had enough structure to hold the cheese, but softened under the heat of the camembert. — Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026

Nokes said the beef that the store carries is wet-aged for a minimum of 21 days, meaning that the meat is sealed in its own juices, leading to the meat enzymes being broken down and softened on their own. — Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026

The governor this year softened New York's ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gases, citing rising energy costs for consumers. — ABC News, 14 July 2026

In addition, the governor this year softened New York’s ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gases, citing rising energy costs for consumers. — Anthony Izaguirre, Fortune, 14 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing soften

• cushion/soften the blow
• soften up

Rhymes for soften

• boffin
• coffin
• offen
• often

Kids 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

softener

ˈsȯf-(ə-)nər 

noun