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
Distant Lands approaches such feelings sidelong, as if acting casual will soften grief’s blow.
—
Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 23 June 2026
The highest pump prices in the country have been a pain point for Newsom, who is expected to make a bid for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination and has softened his once-hostile approach to the state’s dwindling fuel-making industry.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 23 June 2026
National polling on the administration’s immigration policies tends to follow party lines, drawing Democrats’ disapproval and Republicans’ support, but recent polling suggests some softening among the latter.
—Lisa Meierotto, The Conversation, 22 June 2026
In France, Le Pen and her allies are leading in polls by softening their apocalyptic rhetoric and instead promising big-government populist economic relief.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for soften
Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 23 June 2026
The highest pump prices in the country have been a pain point for Newsom, who is expected to make a bid for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination and has softened his once-hostile approach to the state’s dwindling fuel-making industry.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 23 June 2026
National polling on the administration’s immigration policies tends to follow party lines, drawing Democrats’ disapproval and Republicans’ support, but recent polling suggests some softening among the latter.
—Lisa Meierotto, The Conversation, 22 June 2026
In France, Le Pen and her allies are leading in polls by softening their apocalyptic rhetoric and instead promising big-government populist economic relief.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for soften
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soften
Verb
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Vcg | Visual China Group | Getty Images BEIJING — China’s consumer spending slowdown persisted in June, with growth during one of the country’s largest online shopping festivals weakening sharply from a year earlier.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
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All three of those protagonists have been weakened in their roles by what has gone on.—
Nasser Hussain,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
Verb
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The House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill on June 23 seeking to alleviate a growing housing crisis by streamlining construction regulations, encouraging local innovation, and limiting investor purchases of homes, among other steps.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
24 June 2026
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According to the European Commission, the duty-free de minimis exemption was introduced in order to alleviate administrative burdens for customs authorities and businesses, but the digitalization of customs procedures has ameliorated that issue.—
Kate Nishimura,
Footwear News,
23 June 2026
Verb
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This is the age of dragons; of course there’s effective anti-dragon tech designed to mitigate in-flight threats.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
22 June 2026
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Moore cautioned people with lung issues or smoke sensitivity to avoid outdoor activities, but said crews have mitigated the hazardous-materials portion of the blaze and are now focused on the biohazard portion posed by spoiled food.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 June 2026
Verb
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While most fans and pundits view Brazil as the clear favorite in Friday’s game against Haiti, the team’s coach and one of its star players sought to temper those expectations.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
19 June 2026
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Borrowers hoping for immediate relief from high credit card rates may want to temper their expectations.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
Verb
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So buffering right field in a real way takes on greater importance for a Phillies team whose window is sliding downward.—
Eno Sarris,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
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The Scientific Reports study found that even light activity helped buffer stress on the hardest days.—
Samantha Agate,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2026
Verb
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Tempur-Pedic’s reputation as a luxury mattress brand with exceptional performance can be attributed to its roots—the cushioning material was originally developed for NASA’s pilot test expeditions.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
24 June 2026
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It’s made of 100 percent memory foam to cushion your head and neck for a cozy rest.—
Nicol Natale,
PEOPLE,
24 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Soften.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soften. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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