as in emollient
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as in mellowing
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in weakening
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 alleviating
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
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Recent Examples of softening
Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
Shoppers rave about its fine-line softening and deeply hydrating properties that even work for sensitive skin.
—Essence Wiley, InStyle, 10 Mar. 2026
Osteomalacia, a softening of the bones, was rare but occurred about twice as often in GLP-1 users, according to the study, which has not yet been peer reviewed.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 7 Mar. 2026
Osteomalacia, a condition involving the softening of bones due to impaired mineralization, was rare but occurred about twice as often in the GLP-1 group.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 4 Mar. 2026
To speed the softening process, start by making a small incision in each tomato with a paring knife.
—Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2026
Midweek brings a relational softening as Venus enters Pisces on February 10th, joining Mercury in the zone of partnerships, collaboration, and one-on-one dynamics.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 8 Feb. 2026
Since vitamin D helps to keep your bones strong, a deficiency can lead to bone softening and subsequent bone pain and fractures.
—Mark Stibich, Verywell Health, 30 Jan. 2026
Absent a stock market crash that would spook homebuyers, the apparent softening in the housing market means buyers should get prepared to start looking again.
—Terry Savage, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
Callie Zanandrie, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
The central bank held its benchmark interest rate steady on Wednesday as policymakers face growing signs of a softening job market, even as the war in Iran puts more upward pressure on prices.
—Scott Horsley, NPR, 18 Mar. 2026
And there was probably some softening that was happening there.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2026
Fresh broccoli florets cook right in the pot with the pasta, softening just enough while keeping a bit of bite.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Mar. 2026
Of course, the Elixir Ultime Oil, with its shine-enhancing, strengthening, and softening properties, would be one of Moore’s go-tos.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026
Much of the thinking behind that approach was that a softening labor market, moderating inflation and a new dovish chair coming on board in May would push the Fed into an easing posture.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2026
So, does Roan deserve all the credit for softening the nature of these carpets, where dozens of photographers gather to scream goading or even offensive remarks at talent just to get their attention?
—Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 12 Mar. 2026
His trajectory is one of softening, from the swaggering knight of the opening to the irrepressible lover of the second act to his final physical debility.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
Asia-Pacific markets traded higher overnight, buoyed by a softening in global oil prices on Tuesday as the G7 met to discuss the possible use of emergency crude reserves to ease the supply crunch.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
Shoppers rave about its fine-line softening and deeply hydrating properties that even work for sensitive skin.
—Essence Wiley, InStyle, 10 Mar. 2026
Osteomalacia, a softening of the bones, was rare but occurred about twice as often in GLP-1 users, according to the study, which has not yet been peer reviewed.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 7 Mar. 2026
Osteomalacia, a condition involving the softening of bones due to impaired mineralization, was rare but occurred about twice as often in the GLP-1 group.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 4 Mar. 2026
To speed the softening process, start by making a small incision in each tomato with a paring knife.
—Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2026
Midweek brings a relational softening as Venus enters Pisces on February 10th, joining Mercury in the zone of partnerships, collaboration, and one-on-one dynamics.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 8 Feb. 2026
Since vitamin D helps to keep your bones strong, a deficiency can lead to bone softening and subsequent bone pain and fractures.
—Mark Stibich, Verywell Health, 30 Jan. 2026
Absent a stock market crash that would spook homebuyers, the apparent softening in the housing market means buyers should get prepared to start looking again.
—Terry Savage, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
Verb
The biggest red flag for backcountry travelers is rapidly softening snow.
—Callie Zanandrie, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
The central bank held its benchmark interest rate steady on Wednesday as policymakers face growing signs of a softening job market, even as the war in Iran puts more upward pressure on prices.
—Scott Horsley, NPR, 18 Mar. 2026
And there was probably some softening that was happening there.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2026
Fresh broccoli florets cook right in the pot with the pasta, softening just enough while keeping a bit of bite.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Mar. 2026
Of course, the Elixir Ultime Oil, with its shine-enhancing, strengthening, and softening properties, would be one of Moore’s go-tos.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026
Much of the thinking behind that approach was that a softening labor market, moderating inflation and a new dovish chair coming on board in May would push the Fed into an easing posture.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2026
So, does Roan deserve all the credit for softening the nature of these carpets, where dozens of photographers gather to scream goading or even offensive remarks at talent just to get their attention?
—Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 12 Mar. 2026
His trajectory is one of softening, from the swaggering knight of the opening to the irrepressible lover of the second act to his final physical debility.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for softening
Adjective
-
Barrier cream launches this time of year are plentiful, but there’s one that’s really worth your attention: Bubble’s Soft Swerve Barrier Restore Balm, an intensely emollient moisturizer that coats your skin in a nourishing formula that rewards you with a soft, supple complexion over night.—
Gina Vaynshteyn,
StyleCaster,
21 Jan. 2026
-
When shopping for a hydrating lip balm, focus on nourishing, emollient ingredients rather than those that create a temporary tingle.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The spring and summer months will elicit much mellowing.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Here’s a look at my experience, which—sadly—included no dogs, but has had a subtly mellowing effect on my own mood.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Seniors are the most reliable midterm voters in the country, and with the 2026 elections approaching and affordability already their top concern, weakening this program is a risk Republicans should not be taking.—
Joe Hardy,
Boston Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
-
However, rejecting the goal of citizenship verification altogether risks weakening public confidence in the system.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
There are no quick fixes to alleviating the state’s housing woes.—
Jeff Montejano,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
-
But alleviating the fear of the Iranian people is not in itself a plan of action.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Indyke also helped secure a lenient work-release program for Epstein by vouching for his employment, allowing Epstein to leave the jail for up to 16 hours a day, ABC News reported in 2021.—
Peter Charalambous,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
-
If held responsible for the murder, the minor, who is now 14, faces 8 months in a youth ranch program — a possible sentence that San Jose’s police chief and Santa Clara County’s district attorney also complain is too lenient.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Will cutting bouquets to bring indoors affect the flowering of the plants?—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and pumpkins need more frequent watering during flowering and while developing fruit.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Despite his impassive eyes, balding pate, and slit of a smile, Robert Duvall could be volcanic and melancholic, mysterious and straightforward, vengeful and merciful.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
-
In a way, this can seem merciful.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Like Martin herself, her new headquarters is in constant evolution.—
Ingrid Abramovitch,
Architectural Digest,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The evolution of live sports programming has become a battleground between traditional broadcast companies and streaming platforms, vying for the right to air the best games possible year after year.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Softening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softening. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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