soften up
verb
softened up; softening up; softens up
1
: to treat (someone) very well or kindly in order to make that person more likely to help one, give one something, etc.
He tried to soften her up by buying her flowers.
2
: to weaken (an enemy) through military attacks
They used artillery to soften up the enemy's defenses before launching a full-scale attack.
Examples of soften up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Plop it onto wicker and rattan seating to soften up their edges a little.
—
Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 26 Mar. 2026
Thrusting a baby into Offerman’s burly arms works wonders to soften up Jinx (as does the actor’s vulnerable turn), and Kenny’s arc proves surprising in the right ways (save, perhaps, one late-arriving twist).
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 12 Mar. 2026
Once the tortillas soften up in the broth, all or part of it can be blended to create a silky texture full of fresh corn flavor.
—Riley Wofford, Martha Stewart, 11 Mar. 2026
Those weapons hit Iranian air defenses and essentially softened up Iranian offensive positions, paving the way for manned aircraft to come in after, according to the source.
—Matt Nighswander, NBC news, 3 Mar. 2026
Karen Rohr, principal designer at Mackenzie Collier Interiors, notes that there are other ways to soften up (or cover up, if unslightly) floors, without having carpeting from baseboard to baseboard.
—Lacey Ramburger, The Spruce, 19 Feb. 2026
The calendar was softening up, after all.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2026
After softening up the New England defense in the opening quarter, Walker started to find a groove.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
The Iranian nuclear program was a regional and in some respects global menace, and, after a week and a half of Israel softening up, was vulnerable to a single heavy punch.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026
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Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 26 Mar. 2026
Thrusting a baby into Offerman’s burly arms works wonders to soften up Jinx (as does the actor’s vulnerable turn), and Kenny’s arc proves surprising in the right ways (save, perhaps, one late-arriving twist).
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 12 Mar. 2026
Once the tortillas soften up in the broth, all or part of it can be blended to create a silky texture full of fresh corn flavor.
—Riley Wofford, Martha Stewart, 11 Mar. 2026
Those weapons hit Iranian air defenses and essentially softened up Iranian offensive positions, paving the way for manned aircraft to come in after, according to the source.
—Matt Nighswander, NBC news, 3 Mar. 2026
Karen Rohr, principal designer at Mackenzie Collier Interiors, notes that there are other ways to soften up (or cover up, if unslightly) floors, without having carpeting from baseboard to baseboard.
—Lacey Ramburger, The Spruce, 19 Feb. 2026
The calendar was softening up, after all.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2026
After softening up the New England defense in the opening quarter, Walker started to find a groove.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
The Iranian nuclear program was a regional and in some respects global menace, and, after a week and a half of Israel softening up, was vulnerable to a single heavy punch.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Soften up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soften%20up. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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