1
as in to weaken
to diminish the physical strength of
three weeks of being sick in bed had noticeably softened her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to alleviate
to lessen the shock of
had tried to soften the blow of her rejection to his marriage proposal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of soften
Upstairs, the atmosphere softens into something more intimate.
—
Vicki Power, TheWeek, 31 Mar. 2026
Some, like Fox host Mark Levin, are rhetorically softening the ground in support of a wider military effort inside Iran.
—Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
With vintage terrazzo flooring, coffered ceilings, built in clean-line wooden wardrobes, and minimalist decor, this spot is a midcentury Italian dream, softened by the country charm of its setting, not far from the historic village of Gravedona.
—Madeline Weinfield, Architectural Digest, 30 Mar. 2026
Roast until beginning to soften, about 25 minutes.
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for soften
Vicki Power, TheWeek, 31 Mar. 2026
Some, like Fox host Mark Levin, are rhetorically softening the ground in support of a wider military effort inside Iran.
—Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
With vintage terrazzo flooring, coffered ceilings, built in clean-line wooden wardrobes, and minimalist decor, this spot is a midcentury Italian dream, softened by the country charm of its setting, not far from the historic village of Gravedona.
—Madeline Weinfield, Architectural Digest, 30 Mar. 2026
Roast until beginning to soften, about 25 minutes.
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for soften
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soften
Verb
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But the president contends there is no excuse for the lack of participation now that Iran's navy has been sunk and its air defenses severely weakened.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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In the state’s view, that weakens or muddies the legal boundary between the two types of gambling venues.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Lack of communication from airlines during disruptions is a major complaint from customers across carriers, and anything companies can do to alleviate that will help with those frustrations.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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By this point, experts were warning that half a million people in Gaza were at risk of starvation, and organizations such as the Rabbinical Assembly, an association of Conservative rabbis, were urging immediate action to alleviate civilian suffering.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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While the campus has seen many changes in the last four decades, most have been attempts to mitigate the greatest failures of Netsch’s vision without creating much memorable new work.—
Edward Keegan,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
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The impact on the waitlist might be mitigated by the small number of people going through the new process each year.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Cheng was elected as party chairwoman late last year following a campaign that emphasized the need to temper the island’s provocations against the Communist regime.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Mar. 2026
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Early reviews suggest fans may want to temper their expectations on the beer front.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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For example, maintaining green spaces as wildlife habitat can buffer infrastructure from severe weather, erosion or flooding.—
Dan Salas,
The Conversation,
28 Mar. 2026
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Delinquency rates are nearly double the rates from October 2021 but have taken longer to reach pre-COVID levels, buffered by rising home prices.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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South Africa will slash fuel taxes for a month to cushion consumers from a surge in oil prices triggered by the Middle East conflict, sacrificing millions of dollars in revenue for a fiscal framework only recently brought under control.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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His government has urged Australians to conserve fuel and outlined measures aimed at cushioning households and businesses from rising costs tied to disrupted global energy markets.—
Sam Stevenson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Soften.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soften. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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