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
The White House softened its posture against Anthropic in May, after the release of its AI model Claude Mythos, which proved itself adept at finding critical software bugs.
—
Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
With inflation surging, wages softening and borrowing costs high thanks to elevated interest rates, the incentive to protect this money is particularly strong now.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 1 June 2026
In the aftermath of the Masterson endorsement, rumors swirled that Trump might award Colyer a post in his administration to soften the blow.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 1 June 2026
Perhaps a health scare, ascent into the middle years, and fatherhood have softened the songwriter, but there is a gentle and empathic feeling at play here that is missing from his early records.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for soften
Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
With inflation surging, wages softening and borrowing costs high thanks to elevated interest rates, the incentive to protect this money is particularly strong now.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 1 June 2026
In the aftermath of the Masterson endorsement, rumors swirled that Trump might award Colyer a post in his administration to soften the blow.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 1 June 2026
Perhaps a health scare, ascent into the middle years, and fatherhood have softened the songwriter, but there is a gentle and empathic feeling at play here that is missing from his early records.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for soften
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soften
Verb
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The Reserve Bank of Australia will likely focus on the strength of private demand before factoring in the conflict, alongside inflation risks stemming from weak productivity and rising unit labor costs, according to Stenner, who expects household consumption to weaken in the second quarter.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
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Critics counter that scarcity alone does not guarantee value if investor demand weakens.—
Sharon Wu,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Also on the wellness menu are group exercise classes, a squeaky clean modern fitness room, and an outdoor Thalasso therapy pool, heated slightly during the day, that uses the natural healing elements of saltwater to alleviate ailments.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
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Simple stress relievers like stress balls and essential oil diffusers will help dad alleviate some of the day’s stressors.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Officials have been trying to mitigate that risk with awareness campaigns advising fans to purchase goods and services from reputable sources.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
31 May 2026
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Rebuilding the salt marshes increases the lagoon’s ability to capture carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas and driver of climate change, and mitigates the effects of rising sea levels.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 May 2026
Verb
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To get it across the finish line, Democrats — especially progressives — had to temper their expectations.—
Lauren Victory,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
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But just like last year’s in-episode PSA urging fans to be kinder, the message did little to temper online fervor.—
Angela Yang,
NBC news,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Export restrictions, logistical prioritization, and bilateral agreements allow the Kremlin to shape supply availability in ways that oil markets, buffered by deep inventories and diversified producers, simply cannot replicate.—
Ariel Cohen,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
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Potential measures include design modifications informed by microclimate modeling, greenbelts or parks to buffer heat discharge, and city-level permitting requirements that account for local heat impact, according to the press release.—
Deena Theresa,
Interesting Engineering,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Quince's new leather platform slide sandals are cushioned enough to keep you comfortable from day to evening, while high-quality sneakers handle everything else.—
Tanya Sharma,
PEOPLE,
2 June 2026
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The executive said that the brand’s momentum has been fueled by real investment in cushioning systems, lightweight constructions, flexibility, and all-day wearability.—
Stephen Garner,
Footwear News,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Soften.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soften. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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