soft

adjective

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\ 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 In a matter of three minutes, Rodgers sent a soft-spoken message to his bosses that was loud and clear and powerful enough to make the Packers uncomfortable. — Mark Craig, Star Tribune, "Aaron Rodgers sends the Packers a message with his 'uncertain' comments," 25 Jan. 2021 My mother was soft-spoken around him but funny and mean—like a drag queen—with me. — Karla Cornejo Villavicencio, The New Yorker, "Waking Up from the American Dream," 18 Jan. 2021 The soft-spoken interview subject who always deflected questions about his freshman-year championship-game heroics won almost everything a receiver could win in 2020. — Michael Casagrande | Mcasagrande@al.com, al, "DeVonta Smith takes a bow in final act as Alabama icon," 12 Jan. 2021 In the halls of W.S. Lafargue Elementary School, Coulibaly was known as a punctual, soft-spoken instructor who rarely missed a day of class. — Katy Reckdahl, NOLA.com, "This Louisiana teacher of 19 years is locked up now and facing deportation," 3 Jan. 2021 Yusof Rashid was a soft-spoken, meticulous professional whose mission was to monitor and help strengthen the uneven progress of Afghan democracy, where presidential and parliamentary elections have been marred by fraud and violence. — Washington Post, "Assassins silence another ‘voice of Afghan democracy’ in Kabul killing," 23 Dec. 2020 When asked about Ravens running back Gus Edwards, coach John Harbaugh gave a description of the soft-spoken third-year player that seemed to match his running style. — Daniel Oyefusi, baltimoresun.com, "Ravens running back Gus Edwards is switching gears for offense in late-season push: ‘I think I can do it all’," 20 Dec. 2020 Slight and soft-spoken offstage, Coleman nevertheless asserted revolutionary intent from the start. — Larry Blumenfeld, WSJ, "An Album to Liberate a Genre," 18 Dec. 2020 By the end of the season, soft-spoken, kind-hearted drug dealer Fezco (Angus Cloud) has become yet another victim of Nate’s reign of terror. — Lydia Wang, refinery29.com, "Euphoria Is Back — Here’s What To Remember From Season 1," 3 Dec. 2020

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.