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
Synonyms
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 Swiss ruling softened the blow for those who lost Tuesday.
—
Molly Quell, Fortune Europe, 10 Apr. 2024
Put simply: Trump shifted his position in a way that will anger his right flank that has nowhere else to go and could soften Democrats’ grip on the female vote.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 9 Apr. 2024
Officials have forecast three rate cuts this year, goosing the stock market, but that timetable could shift if inflation softens more gradually or the economy and job market stay hot.
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
That history and the relatively small size of its local Russian minority had traditionally softened its approach to its threatening neighbor.
—Tomas Dapkus, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
This softens it slightly but then stops the cooking, sealing in the bright green color.
—Katie Workman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2024
As the symphony of the world softens, her own body gets louder.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2024
Brewing the tea for 5 minutes might sound like a lot, but remember it will be softened by the milk and syrup.
5 tips for a better cup — or pot — of tea
The lavender.
—Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
Subsequent listens to the entirety of Cowboy Carter have softened me a bit toward the song.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 29 Mar. 2024
Molly Quell, Fortune Europe, 10 Apr. 2024
Put simply: Trump shifted his position in a way that will anger his right flank that has nowhere else to go and could soften Democrats’ grip on the female vote.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 9 Apr. 2024
Officials have forecast three rate cuts this year, goosing the stock market, but that timetable could shift if inflation softens more gradually or the economy and job market stay hot.
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
That history and the relatively small size of its local Russian minority had traditionally softened its approach to its threatening neighbor.
—Tomas Dapkus, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
This softens it slightly but then stops the cooking, sealing in the bright green color.
—Katie Workman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2024
As the symphony of the world softens, her own body gets louder.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2024
Brewing the tea for 5 minutes might sound like a lot, but remember it will be softened by the milk and syrup.
5 tips for a better cup — or pot — of tea
The lavender.
—Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
Subsequent listens to the entirety of Cowboy Carter have softened me a bit toward the song.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 29 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'soften.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to soften
Dictionary Entries Near soften
Cite this Entry
“Soften.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soften. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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
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