soften up
phrasal 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
Then, apply that paste directly to the baking sheet.
Step 5: Behar recommends letting this sit for at least 15-20 minutes to soften up the debris and make scrubbing easier.
—
Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 30 June 2025
Since the end of the era of Richard Nixon– a president who, in secret, tried to pressure then-Fed chief Arthur Burns to soften up on policy ahead of the 1972 election – his successors have all supported an independent Fed so that the central bank can keep the economy on an even keel.
—Ron Insana, CNBC, 26 June 2025
After water, in some fields the engineers turn to injecting steam, which further softens up stubborn crude oil.
—Christopher Helman, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
But these 100% French linen sheets softened up dramatically.
—Kathleen Felton, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 June 2025
There might be some players hoping that Friday evening’s rain softens up the course enough to make things a little easier.
—Justin Ray, New York Times, 14 June 2025
In the end, Tess softens up and gets Anna’s struggles (and vice versa).
—Lisa Stardust, People.com, 11 May 2025
Witkoff’s apparent favorability toward negotiations was cited by regional sources speaking to an Israeli newspaper as one reason Khamenei softened up and wrote back to Trump.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2025
Plop it onto wicker and rattan seating to soften up their edges a little.
—Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 26 Mar. 2025
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Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 30 June 2025
Since the end of the era of Richard Nixon– a president who, in secret, tried to pressure then-Fed chief Arthur Burns to soften up on policy ahead of the 1972 election – his successors have all supported an independent Fed so that the central bank can keep the economy on an even keel.
—Ron Insana, CNBC, 26 June 2025
After water, in some fields the engineers turn to injecting steam, which further softens up stubborn crude oil.
—Christopher Helman, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
But these 100% French linen sheets softened up dramatically.
—Kathleen Felton, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 June 2025
There might be some players hoping that Friday evening’s rain softens up the course enough to make things a little easier.
—Justin Ray, New York Times, 14 June 2025
In the end, Tess softens up and gets Anna’s struggles (and vice versa).
—Lisa Stardust, People.com, 11 May 2025
Witkoff’s apparent favorability toward negotiations was cited by regional sources speaking to an Israeli newspaper as one reason Khamenei softened up and wrote back to Trump.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2025
Plop it onto wicker and rattan seating to soften up their edges a little.
—Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 26 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Soften up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soften%20up. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.
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