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
Relevance
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
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 softened
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Top with the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting made with softened butter, cream cheese, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 18 May 2026
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
Due to their softened texture, the bones are generally safe, but there are exceptions.
—Sherri Gordon, Health, 21 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
Devon Ivie, Vulture, 28 May 2026
Add the turkey and onion, and cook, stirring and breaking up the turkey into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is no longer pink and the onions have softened, about 5 minutes.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2026
Raman has also softened on no-camping zones in the city.
—Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026
Some seasons leaned into darker, deeper shades of blaugrana, while others softened the palette into brighter reds and blues.
—Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
There is increasing pressure to reach a deal, as the war doesn't seem to have softened Iran's stance, Batrawy says.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 25 May 2026
But Busch had softened in recent years, particularly around his wife Samantha and their children — son Brexton and daughter Lennix.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 23 May 2026
Public opinion has softened on the matter, and show creator Larry David even came out years later and offered a mea culpa to the disgruntled fanbase.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2026
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
Adjective
The softened start-up keeps the opening from becoming a trigger.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Top with the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting made with softened butter, cream cheese, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 18 May 2026
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
Due to their softened texture, the bones are generally safe, but there are exceptions.
—Sherri Gordon, Health, 21 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
Mills has bad news, though, for superfans like myself who were hoping that the band’s embrace of the tribute project has at all softened his uncompromised reunion stance.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 28 May 2026
Add the turkey and onion, and cook, stirring and breaking up the turkey into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is no longer pink and the onions have softened, about 5 minutes.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2026
Raman has also softened on no-camping zones in the city.
—Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026
Some seasons leaned into darker, deeper shades of blaugrana, while others softened the palette into brighter reds and blues.
—Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
There is increasing pressure to reach a deal, as the war doesn't seem to have softened Iran's stance, Batrawy says.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 25 May 2026
But Busch had softened in recent years, particularly around his wife Samantha and their children — son Brexton and daughter Lennix.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 23 May 2026
Public opinion has softened on the matter, and show creator Larry David even came out years later and offered a mea culpa to the disgruntled fanbase.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for softened
Adjective
-
As the story goes, attendance was weak, the weather was bad, and the tournament experience was just lacking.—
James Burky,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
-
As many as 40 states combine one-party control with institutional barriers weak enough to fall to political pressure.—
Bruce Sibley,
Time,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
The long-term confidentiality assumption built into these systems is already weakened, whether or not the users know it.—
Sandy Peng,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
Middle Eastern carriers faced severe operational strain amid the disruptions across airspace throughout the region that weakened regional connectivity, as certain countries still having full or partial closures at the time.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
Without getting into spoilers, her one-and-done appearance in Episode 5 presents the perfect opportunity for the more-than-capable Meester to match wits with Bell’s judgmental Joanna, only to strand the actor with boring, obvious jokes and saddle her with a feeble resolution.—
Hugh Hart,
IndieWire,
23 May 2026
-
There was a sense of endings at St James’ Park; not definitive, not complete, but persuasive, a final home game for Kieran Trippier as a Newcastle player, and a feeble waft of farewell in the colour of claret.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Early on in his first five, six starts, there were a lot of balls in play, obviously some soft contact, balls at guys.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
-
This mini dress is made from lightweight fabric that feels soft against the skin and has a breezy silhouette that keeps it from clinging.—
Emily Weaver,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
That transfusion risk can be mitigated by irradiation, but not all facilities, especially smaller hospitals, have irradiators on site.—
Torie Bosch,
STAT,
1 June 2026
-
While a yellow placard signals two or more major violations, these are typically corrected or mitigated during the inspection, according to the Sacramento County Retail Food Inspection Guide.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
May 29,
Sacbee.com,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
These tax-advantaged accounts can be opened by an individual who is disabled or their authorized representative — for example, a parent, legal guardian, or agent named in their power of attorney.—
Sharon Epperson,
CNBC,
27 May 2026
-
This will provide separate options for bikes and pedestrians, while adding areas for disabled vehicles and emergency responders.—
Brian Sherrod,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
Commitment to the greater good buffered the AI aversion.—
Melissa A. Wheeler,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
Multiple security checkpoints buffered the site from the street, and officers from both agencies maintained a heavy presence throughout the groundbreaking ceremony.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Softened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softened. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
