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
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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 of soften from the Web
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Soren and his animators soften the hard-plastic look of the characters' CGI faces with a rubbery kind of humanity.
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Add mushrooms and onions; stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes or until softened.
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The old-school concoction is said to improve grip and soften tires, which promotes more passing and increased speeds.
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Once the oil shimmers, add the garlic, onion and chicken; cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the onion has just softened.
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The goal is to soften the hair and skin underneath so the razor just glides, says Neal Schultz, a dermatologist in NYC.
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At the end of the G-7, Macron appeared to soften his stance on the climate talks, the most problematic issue between the U.S. and the six other nations.
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Income projections suggested that Kushner had vastly overpaid - and that was months before the Great Recession further softened the market.
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But not even Emmanuel Macron, the new darling of the G-7, could charm the prime minister into softening her hard-line stance on Brexit.
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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