soft

adjective

\ ˈsȯft

Definition of soft

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : pleasing or agreeable to the senses : bringing ease, comfort, or quiet the soft influences of home

b : having a bland or mellow rather than a sharp or acid taste

c(1) : not bright or glaring : subdued

(2) : having or producing little contrast or a relatively short range of tones a soft photographic print

d : quiet in pitch or volume

e of the eyes : having a liquid or gentle appearance

f : smooth or delicate in texture, grain, or fiber soft cashmere soft fur

g(1) : balmy, mild, or clement in weather or temperature

(2) : moving or falling with slight force or impact : not violent soft breezes

2 : demanding little work or effort : easy a soft job

3a : sounding as in ace and gem respectively —used of c and g or their sound

b of a consonant : voiced

c : constituting a vowel before which there is a \y\ sound or a \y\-like modification of a consonant or constituting a consonant in whose articulation there is a \y\-like modification or which is followed by a \y\ sound (as in Russian)

4 archaic : moving in a leisurely manner

5 : rising gradually a soft slope

6 : having curved or rounded outline : not harsh or jagged soft hills against the horizon

7 : marked by a gentleness, kindness, or tenderness: such as

a(1) : not harsh or onerous in character a policy of soft competition

(2) : based on negotiation, conciliation, or flexibility rather than on force, threats, or intransigence took a soft line during the crisis

(3) : tending to take a soft line —usually used with on soft on dictatorssoft on law and order

b : tending to ingratiate or disarm : engaging, kind a soft answer turns away wrath — Proverbs 15:1 (Revised Standard Version)

c : marked by mildness : unassuming, low-key

8a : emotionally suggestible or responsive : impressionable

b : unduly susceptible to influence : compliant

c : lacking firmness or strength of character : feeble, unmanly

d : amorously attracted or emotionally involved —used with on has been soft on her for years

9a : lacking robust strength, stamina, or endurance especially because of living in ease or luxury grown soft and indolent

b : weak or deficient mentally soft in the head

10a : yielding to physical pressure

b : permitting someone or something to sink in —used of wet ground

c(1) : of a consistency that may be shaped or molded

(2) : capable of being spread

d : easily magnetized and demagnetized

e : lacking relatively or comparatively in hardness soft iron

11 : deficient in or free from substances (such as calcium and magnesium salts) that prevent lathering of soap soft water

12 : having relatively low energy soft X-rays

13 of news : relatively less serious or significant

14 : occurring at such a speed and under such circumstances as to avoid destructive impact soft landing of a spacecraft on the moon

15 : not protected against enemy attack a soft aboveground launching site soft targets

16 : biodegradable a soft detergent soft pesticides

17 of a drug : considered less detrimental than a hard narcotic

18 : easily polarized —used of acids and bases

19a of currency : not readily convertible

b of a loan : not secured by collateral

20a : being low due to sluggish market conditions soft prices

b : sluggish, slow a soft market

21 : not firmly committed soft unreliable political support

22 : soft-core soft porn

23a : being or based on interpretive or speculative data soft evidence

b : utilizing or based on soft data soft science

24 : being or using renewable sources of energy (such as solar radiation, wind, or tides) soft technologies

25 of money : contributed (as by a corporation) to a political party rather than directly to a particular candidate

soft

adverb

Definition of soft (Entry 2 of 3)

: in a soft or gentle manner : softly

soft

noun

Definition of soft (Entry 3 of 3)

: a soft object, material, or part the soft of the thumb

Other Words from soft Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about soft

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Other Words from soft

Adjective

softish \ ˈsȯf-tish

\ adjective

softly \ ˈsȯf(t)-lē

\ adverb

softness \ ˈsȯf(t)-nəs

\ noun

Examples of soft in a Sentence

Adjective

The ground was soft after the heavy rain. Iron and lead are soft metals. The rabbit's fur is soft. The room was painted in soft pink. the soft glow of the moon

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Men in Black' is soft, but wins the Father's Day box office Where's Will Smith? — Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, "Which celebrities are revealed as space aliens in 'Men in Black: International'? (spoilers)," 17 June 2019 The word crash in that last sentence is important, because nothing about Euphoria is soft. — Jessica Radloff, Glamour, "HBO’s Euphoria Is Unlike Any Teen Show You’ve Ever Seen," 14 June 2019 Yes, there are people who believe Durant is soft, but there are also people who believe Bigfoot killed Kennedy. — Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, "Why Kevin Durant’s injury is a growth opportunity — for all of us," 11 June 2019 When done right, roasted aloo gobi is straightforward to make but hard to forget: the potatoes and the cauliflower are slightly soft, with this beautiful salt and spice crust. — Priya Krishna, Bon Appétit, "The Sneaky, Easy Trick to My Mom’s Perfect Aloo Gobi," 10 June 2019 The lining is soft on your skin, so the shorts won’t chafe, even when wet. — Jakob Schiller, Outside Online, "Free Fly Makes Our Favorite Do-Anything Men's Shorts," 9 June 2019 Or, ultra-silk lashes, which are extremely soft to the touch, but create a more dramatic look than the faux-mink fibre, without causing any strain to the natural lashes. — Megan Decker, refinery29.com, "Everything You Need To Know About Eyelash Extensions," 8 June 2019 Ryu, who pretty easily has had the best season of any National League starter to date, elicited a steady supply of soft contact from Diamondbacks hitters, who hit only three balls 95 mph or harder off him that weren’t hit into the ground. — Nick Piecoro, azcentral, "Same old blues: Diamondbacks still can't solve Dodgers puzzle," 5 June 2019 At the same time, the existing fill and soil composition is too soft to support construction of houses without being reinforced, City Planning Director Joyce Braverman explained to council on May 28. — Thomas Jewell, cleveland.com, "Shaker Heights Country Club seeks rezoning for 2 new homes near Duck Pond," 4 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb

Some units even have stained glass casting soft, colored light into the living space. — Jeanne Kuang, Washington Post, "This historic church will be reborn as housing for seniors," 17 June 2019 The course has been playing soft all week, moist from a rainy spring and kept damp by the combination of low winds and overcast skies. — Brian Costa, WSJ, "What to Watch For at the U.S. Open This Weekend," 15 June 2019 The Houston Street storefront, which soft-opened this week with 14-person classes on the ground level (the basement will follow next month), comes with its own creative history. — Laura Regensdorf, Vogue, "These 5 Pilates Studios Have Fierce—and Incredibly Fit—Followings for a Reason," 21 Sep. 2018 The world’s largest car market (about 25 million unit sales in 2017), China has soft-targeted 2040 for a total ban on IC transportation; but the point at which diesel becomes uneconomic for auto makers will come long before. — Dan Neil, WSJ, "Are We in the Last Days of Diesel?," 16 Aug. 2018 Last year, the developer behind mobile hits like Clash of Clans and Clash Royale soft-launched a new game called Brawl Stars. — Andrew Webster, The Verge, "Supercell’s new game mixes Fortnite and Clash Royale, and it’s out soon," 14 Nov. 2018 As Gordon, Allen thunders on stage and creates very nice chemistry with Denise, who is excellent as Gordon’s soft-hearted ex-wife Sarah, and with the other actors. — Patti Restivo, Howard County Times, "Laurel Mill Playhouse presents 'Laughing Stock'," 6 July 2018 Becky Friedman, who owns the cafe along with Jason Schiavone and a silent partner, considers this weekend’s launch a soft open. — Anna Muckerman, baltimoresun.com, "The Hoof Cafe coffee shop opens this weekend in Locust Point," 13 June 2018 Her elegant arms can appear velvety soft before stretching into sharp lines. — New York Times, "The Poetic Justice of Stella Abrera’s Juliet," 8 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The lander will attempt a soft, controlled landing near the Moon's southern pole and then let the rover out to roam. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "India Is Sending a Rover to the Moon in 2018," 25 Oct. 2017 Elizabeth Arden White Tea: Soft and pure, this fragrance leaves a subtle sea breeze surrounding the wearer. — Vanity Fair, Vanities, "A Few of Our Favorite Fragrances of the Season," 21 Apr. 2017 Installation Soft foam is sprayed into stud cavities. — Elle Decor Staff, ELLE Decor, "Buying Guide: Insulation," 19 Nov. 2007

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'soft.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.