1
as in weakens
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 alleviates
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 softens
The seat is made of high-density foam that softens with use and has a supportive spring underpinning.
—
Shea Simmons, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
The luxe liquid exfoliates skin with tiny pieces of volcanic rock, eliminates garlic and onion odors with bread yeast enzymes, and softens hands with olive oil esters.
—Mark Marino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 Oct. 2025
If your butter softens before baking—whether the dough is overhandled or left out too long—the layers will lack the steam needed for the right height and texture.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2025
Gently simmer until the garlic softens, about 20 minutes.
—Malaka Gharib, NPR, 25 Oct. 2025
The fabric is washing machine safe and softens with age.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 23 Oct. 2025
Cooking, in contrast, softens the flesh, improves flavor and reduces microbial risk.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
Revenge softens some of Baron Frankenstein’s colder mannerisms into a more playful performance from Cushing; after escaping the gallows, the Baron hides his true identity and takes work at a hospital for the poor to access a supply of body parts.
—Rory Doherty, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025
Chamomile softens the flame, vanilla sweetens the smoke, and the result is all loving, never strange… a total trance.
—Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2025
Shea Simmons, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
The luxe liquid exfoliates skin with tiny pieces of volcanic rock, eliminates garlic and onion odors with bread yeast enzymes, and softens hands with olive oil esters.
—Mark Marino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 Oct. 2025
If your butter softens before baking—whether the dough is overhandled or left out too long—the layers will lack the steam needed for the right height and texture.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2025
Gently simmer until the garlic softens, about 20 minutes.
—Malaka Gharib, NPR, 25 Oct. 2025
The fabric is washing machine safe and softens with age.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 23 Oct. 2025
Cooking, in contrast, softens the flesh, improves flavor and reduces microbial risk.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
Revenge softens some of Baron Frankenstein’s colder mannerisms into a more playful performance from Cushing; after escaping the gallows, the Baron hides his true identity and takes work at a hospital for the poor to access a supply of body parts.
—Rory Doherty, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025
Chamomile softens the flame, vanilla sweetens the smoke, and the result is all loving, never strange… a total trance.
—Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for softens
Verb
-
Lee was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy at age 2, a degenerative disease that gradually weakens muscles.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Unlike some of the burger chain’s peers, Cramer said McDonald’s has immense scale and strength and is making an effort to lower prices as consumer spending weakens.—
Julie Coleman,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Gaming laptops, especially those with larger screens, tend to be bulky, but the Slim alleviates some of that.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
8 Sep. 2025
-
There are occasional flashbacks to his childhood, as well as moments out-of-time, where Kafka finds himself in the modern-day Czech republic, but none of this alleviates the pacing doldrums of a conventional biopic.—
Sam Bodrojan,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The research team claimed that these boundaries provide multiple benefits, including strain resistance that mitigates mechanochemical degradation, as demonstrated by operando full-field strain mapping.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Oct. 2025
-
The primary function of the single-seater X-59 is to test a new fuselage geometry that mitigates the sonic boom.—
David Szondy
October 28,
New Atlas,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that occurs when the cartilage that cushions the ends of bones breaks down over time.—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The Litfun slippers are constructed with a thick memory foam footbed that gently cushions and supports your feet with each step, while the faux fur lining offers plenty of warmth for chilly days.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
That thick sole relieves pressure and pain, especially pain associated with conditions like plantar fasciitis.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Oct. 2025
-
This deep tissue massage relieves tension in my head, neck, and shoulders without any effort.—
Jacquelyn Smith,
Parents,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This helps create a barrier of warmer air that buffers the foliage against the cold.—
Karl Schneider,
IndyStar,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Knowing and acting on her mom’s wishes eases the burden of last-minute decision-making and prompts Dowd to take early planning into her own hands.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The active noise cancellation eases low rumbles so commutes feel calmer.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Softens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softens. Accessed 25 Nov. 2025.
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