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

Now, parts and service departments and finance and insurance packages are becoming more important sources of profit for car dealers, as profits from new vehicle sales show signs of softening. — Robert Ferris, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026

Beyond any of the sociocultural flotsam and jetsam, hanging out with your crush on a lake at a northern latitude both softens and distills all the brain-stem-deep associations with what summer means. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2026

With rain forecasted to soften conditions even further, expect a birdie-fest where elite driving and dialed-in iron play will determine the winner. — Geoff Clark Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2026

The Velvet filter softens the overall contrast and wraps the scene in a warmer, vintage-like tone that makes the blues and purples feel richer. — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 19 Aug. 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