as in weak
lacking bodily strength
the athlete, softened by the long period of convalescence, had to begin his training program almost from scratch
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in weakened
to diminish the physical strength of
three weeks of being sick in bed had noticeably softened her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tempered
to lessen the shock of
had tried to soften the blow of her rejection to his marriage proposal
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of softened
Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026
The softened ingredients mix better and create a lighter, fluffier pound cake.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 May 2026
Rising costs are also given as key drivers of softened demand.
—Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
Due to their softened texture, the bones are generally safe, but there are exceptions.
—Sherri Gordon, Health, 21 Apr. 2026
No mixer required This recipe calls for softened butter, and for stirring everything together in one-bowl, so no mixer is required!
—Josh Miller, Southern Living, 14 Apr. 2026
The ground beef was chopped fine on the grill and folded together with sweet, softened onions and perfectly melted American cheese, all tucked into a soft roll with crisp lettuce and tomato for balance.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
Room-temperature eggs, along with softened butter and cream cheese, blend more smoothly, helping the batter emulsify and bake evenly.
—Inés Anguiano, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Mar. 2026
After cooking, the Sam's offering fell flat with softened cups of pepper that held their shape just well enough to become little swimming pools of exuded moisture.
—Paul Stephen, San Antonio Express-News, 11 Mar. 2026
Rick Bayless, Midwest Living, 13 May 2026
The question is why the resale market softened in the first place.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 May 2026
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images From Domino’s Pizza to Applebee’s, restaurant chains are reporting that sales softened in March as gas prices spiked.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 11 May 2026
In a bowl, combine softened butter with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Italian seasoning, celery salt, and garlic paste (made by smashing garlic cloves with salt, then mincing it and mashing it with the side of your knife).
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 May 2026
And what with all the love and pain, something in me softened—or maybe decayed.
—Eva Wiseman, Vogue, 7 May 2026
Despite the Pentagon’s spat with Anthropic, the White House and its leaders, seemingly softened the tone on the company, and are working with the company and other tech firms to understand the Mythos models.
—Miranda Nazzaro, The Hill, 6 May 2026
And the Blue Monster was no longer a monster, not with everything softened by the rain.
—CBS News, 3 May 2026
Here, the traditional expectations of a five-star stay are softened into something more personal—where time expands, space breathes, and every detail is designed to feel intuitive rather than imposed.
—Miami Herald, 1 May 2026
Adjective
Once shimmering, add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and slightly translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026
The softened ingredients mix better and create a lighter, fluffier pound cake.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 May 2026
Rising costs are also given as key drivers of softened demand.
—Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
Due to their softened texture, the bones are generally safe, but there are exceptions.
—Sherri Gordon, Health, 21 Apr. 2026
No mixer required This recipe calls for softened butter, and for stirring everything together in one-bowl, so no mixer is required!
—Josh Miller, Southern Living, 14 Apr. 2026
The ground beef was chopped fine on the grill and folded together with sweet, softened onions and perfectly melted American cheese, all tucked into a soft roll with crisp lettuce and tomato for balance.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
Room-temperature eggs, along with softened butter and cream cheese, blend more smoothly, helping the batter emulsify and bake evenly.
—Inés Anguiano, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Mar. 2026
After cooking, the Sam's offering fell flat with softened cups of pepper that held their shape just well enough to become little swimming pools of exuded moisture.
—Paul Stephen, San Antonio Express-News, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
In a small dry skillet, roast onion and jalapeño over medium, turning once or twice, until softened and browned in spots, 8 to 10 minutes.
—Rick Bayless, Midwest Living, 13 May 2026
The question is why the resale market softened in the first place.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 May 2026
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images From Domino’s Pizza to Applebee’s, restaurant chains are reporting that sales softened in March as gas prices spiked.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 11 May 2026
In a bowl, combine softened butter with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Italian seasoning, celery salt, and garlic paste (made by smashing garlic cloves with salt, then mincing it and mashing it with the side of your knife).
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 May 2026
And what with all the love and pain, something in me softened—or maybe decayed.
—Eva Wiseman, Vogue, 7 May 2026
Despite the Pentagon’s spat with Anthropic, the White House and its leaders, seemingly softened the tone on the company, and are working with the company and other tech firms to understand the Mythos models.
—Miranda Nazzaro, The Hill, 6 May 2026
And the Blue Monster was no longer a monster, not with everything softened by the rain.
—CBS News, 3 May 2026
Here, the traditional expectations of a five-star stay are softened into something more personal—where time expands, space breathes, and every detail is designed to feel intuitive rather than imposed.
—Miami Herald, 1 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for softened
Adjective
-
Free agency is weak, so the best bet will be the trade market.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
The original vision of the Accords – of a rapidly expanding regional bloc openly aligned with Israel and integrated economically across the Middle East – has become a significantly weaker prospect.—
Chas Newkey-Burden,
TheWeek,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
However, when the researchers adjusted the findings for other factors that can affect risk for the conditions, known as confounders — such as genetic and familial influences and the reasons for taking antidepressants — most links significantly weakened or disappeared.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
-
Starmer’s authority weakened after Labor’s poor performance in recent elections, blamed on policy missteps, economic struggles, and the prime minister’s controversial decisions, including appointing an ambassador with ties to Jeffrey Epstein.—
Pan Pylas,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
So, in retrospect, [the entire Lightning project] looked pretty feeble.—
Jamie Lincoln Kitman,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
-
His visit also comes as the committee stalls on advancing Casey Means, Kennedy’s nominee for surgeon general, over her lack of medical practice experience and feeble answers on the importance of vaccination.—
Daniel Payne,
STAT,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In exclusive interview with USA TODAY, Kevin Brosseau says the US-Canada effort has alleviated the fentanyl crisis but that nitazenes and others pose a threat.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
-
Under this rule, that fear might have been alleviated, allowing Mescal to campaign in lead for his turn as playwright William Shakespeare.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
For her latest appearance on the red carpet, Riley Keough was drawn to something softer.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
-
For instance, as my soft secondaries and the receivers who’ll benefit most from them in fantasy football article detailed, this system grades a defensive back who allows a low yards per attempt (YPA) total but a high PPR fantasy points per game (FPPG) total as a favorable matchup.—
KC Joyner,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
The initial failure in Iraq was mitigated by a shift in strategy that ultimately left Iraq relatively stable and unthreatening to its neighbors and kept the United States dominant in the region.—
Robert Kagan,
The Atlantic,
10 May 2026
-
Britain approved in January China’s plans to build Beijing’s largest embassy in Europe in London, leading critics to accuse Starmer of prioritizing economic ties over security risks, although UK security officials said these could be mitigated.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Oscar Mike Foundation is dedicated to helping disabled veterans live a more fulfilling life.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
-
The legislation would apply only to veterans who became disabled as a result of their military service.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Rooms located between passenger decks are buffered from the noise of public spaces.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
-
Consumers’ coffers have been buffered by larger tax refunds, wage gains (although slowing), and wealth boosts (particularly for upper-income consumers).—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Softened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softened. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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