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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of softened
Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
McDermott has softened on those decisions recently.
—Joe Buscaglia, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
Add garlic, celery, and onion to pan; cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
—Ann Taylor Pittman, Southern Living, 26 Dec. 2024
However, Carter has since softened her stance on the patches.
—Lydia Patrick, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
The signature Beam nutty grain flavor is present, but it’s softened with layers of milk and dark chocolate, espresso bean, dulce de leche, fig, and a backbone of smoky oak.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 23 Dec. 2024
Add mushrooms, zucchini, onion, bell pepper, Italian seasoning, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes.
—Amanda Holstein, Southern Living, 22 Dec. 2024
Simmer 5 to 7 minutes until apricots are softened.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Dec. 2024
Add the peppers and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until the peppers are softened, about 10 minutes.
—Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
While the emphasis on ESG has softened, the focus on sustainable, scalable growth remains a guiding principle.
—Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
McDermott has softened on those decisions recently.
—Joe Buscaglia, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
Add garlic, celery, and onion to pan; cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
—Ann Taylor Pittman, Southern Living, 26 Dec. 2024
However, Carter has since softened her stance on the patches.
—Lydia Patrick, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
The signature Beam nutty grain flavor is present, but it’s softened with layers of milk and dark chocolate, espresso bean, dulce de leche, fig, and a backbone of smoky oak.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 23 Dec. 2024
Add mushrooms, zucchini, onion, bell pepper, Italian seasoning, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes.
—Amanda Holstein, Southern Living, 22 Dec. 2024
Simmer 5 to 7 minutes until apricots are softened.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Dec. 2024
Add the peppers and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until the peppers are softened, about 10 minutes.
—Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 20 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for softened
Adjective
-
The inference here is that women’s speech is coded as weak and men’s, the direct opposite.—
Megan C. Reynolds,
Time,
27 June 2025
-
Total textile and apparel exports declined from $44.4 billion in fiscal year 2022 to $35.8 billion in fiscal year 2024 (ending March 31), due to weak global demand and elevated production costs.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
But the militants, while greatly weakened, have repeatedly regrouped, often after Israeli forces withdraw from areas.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Jan. 2025
-
Those at high-risk for listeria infection are newborns, those who are pregnant, have weakened immune systems, and those aged 65 or older.—
Mike Snider,
USA TODAY,
3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Whether the result of drugs, alcohol or general hysteria, these terrifying men would enter trance-like states and charge into battle, ignoring severe injuries and collapsing into a feeble heap immediately after the fight concluded.—
Drew Gerber,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
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Two hotels in the East Bay have tumbled into bankruptcy ahead of scheduled foreclosures, in a fresh sign that post-coronavirus maladies still afflict the feeble lodging markets in the Bay Area.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
10 June 2025
Verb
-
Introduced last year, the bill failed to advance in Congress even with bipartisan support and changes that alleviated First Amendment worries.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
9 Apr. 2025
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The No Fakes Act was introduced last year but failed to advance in Congress even with bipartisan support and changes that alleviated First Amendment worries.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
That includes things like mapping the profiles of people who could make future leaders, prioritizing growth opportunities for them, and focusing on cultivating softer people skills among this group, along with technical expertise.—
Brit Morse,
Fortune,
26 June 2025
-
While investors are hoping for a soft landing in the U.S. economy, how severe might the outcome be if another recession occurs?—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Verb
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This, coupled with ineffective governance and/or LLM micro-hallucinations, leads to complacency—but this attitude can be mitigated by having effective AI governance and controls in place.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
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Trust failures can be mitigated by adhering to recognized standards and best practices, proper resourcing, planning for failure and practicing crisis management.—
Agur Jõgi,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Founded in 2021, Inevitable Foundation has supported hundreds of disabled filmmakers through a series of programs, including its Accelerate Fellowship, Elevate Collective, Elevate for Podcasters and Emergency Relief Fund.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
18 June 2025
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Obviously, there were [religious] cardinals and bishops, and people from the villages and disabled people.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Softened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softened. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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