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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of soften
The Fed’s balance sheet swelled again during the pandemic recession, as central bankers acted decisively to stabilize markets and soften the blow to the US economy.
—
Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026
Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are softened and liquid is reduced by half, 8 to 10 minutes.
—Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
Some galleries have had pigment—blue, red, black—mixed into the concrete, softening the material’s sterility.
—Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 17 Apr. 2026
San Diego’s budget crisis is prompting city officials to consider softening their policy on minimum financial reserves despite a new comparison study showing most similar cities already have more money socked away.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for soften
Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026
Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are softened and liquid is reduced by half, 8 to 10 minutes.
—Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
Some galleries have had pigment—blue, red, black—mixed into the concrete, softening the material’s sterility.
—Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 17 Apr. 2026
San Diego’s budget crisis is prompting city officials to consider softening their policy on minimum financial reserves despite a new comparison study showing most similar cities already have more money socked away.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for soften
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soften
Verb
-
Every time a middle-class family is forced to drain its wealth or pull back on discretionary spending just to absorb the logistical cost of a geopolitical crisis, the entire economy weakens.—
Katica Roy,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
-
But an industry post from commercial real estate analytics firm CoStar cites geopolitical conflict and high ticket prices for weakening demand and hotelier optimism.—
Vivian Song,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Its Siren Capsule Technology, in particular, works to optimize skin’s collagen for lip renewal, while a blend of peptides, ceramides, hyaluronic acid spheres, and plant extracts alleviate signs of dehydration.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
21 Apr. 2026
-
That hair dryer had a much slimmer design to alleviate wrist pain, as well as RFID attachments that automatically adjusted heat and airflow.—
Victoria Song,
The Verge,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And unfortunately this is a condition that can’t be reversed or mitigated unless there’s some medical breakthrough that hasn’t happened yet.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Thousands more specialized trash bins will be coming to neighborhoods across New York City's five boroughs over the next year and a half in an attempt to mitigate the city's ongoing rat problem, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Friday.—
Ali Bauman,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Still, her spokeswoman was quick to temper the excitement, telling the paper that Sánchez was not having a baby.—
Blanche Marcel,
Vanity Fair,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Because of her ability to calm and temper her emotions, she is connected with Aries, as the ferocious sign can resort to unruly means to prove its point and provoke conflict.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But noise, as well as glare, are typically buffered with vegetative landscaping and setbacks, or the distance between the property line and the nearest structure.—
Anna Clark,
ProPublica,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Though the dugongs are currently buffered from the conflict in the strait, Bartholomew noted that a spill reaching their coastal waters would pose a serious threat.—
Asuka Koda,
CNN Money,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
London — The European Union has unveiled a raft of planned emergency measures to cushion its economy from soaring energy costs.—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The memory foam insole keeps your feet cushioned during long sightseeing days, while the durable outsole can handle major steps.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Soften.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soften. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
