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
Your 7th House of Partnership softens as the Moon arrives, increasing the happiness in one-to-one bonds, platonic or not.
—
Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
Now those gains are under threat, particularly in oil-importing countries where policymakers may be forced to tighten monetary policy even as growth softens.
—Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Keeping it off your nightstand softens intensity and protects your ears.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
By April 13, the atmosphere softens beautifully.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 Apr. 2026
Fiber also softens the stool, which helps digestive regularity, according to the experts at Harvard Health Publishing.
—Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 5 Apr. 2026
Every minute an infrastructure project waits — due to red tape, political wrangling, indecision, prolonged negotiations, burdensome rules, lack of funding and too few hands to move it forward — the costs go up, support softens, champions go quiet and good projects die.
—Gia Biagi, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Black One and Monoliths & Dimensions maintain a slight distance from the listener with a layer of reverb that softens the bone-crushing power of the guitars.
—Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 4 Apr. 2026
Step outside that rarefied tier, however, and the picture softens.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 4 Apr. 2026
Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
Now those gains are under threat, particularly in oil-importing countries where policymakers may be forced to tighten monetary policy even as growth softens.
—Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Keeping it off your nightstand softens intensity and protects your ears.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
By April 13, the atmosphere softens beautifully.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 Apr. 2026
Fiber also softens the stool, which helps digestive regularity, according to the experts at Harvard Health Publishing.
—Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 5 Apr. 2026
Every minute an infrastructure project waits — due to red tape, political wrangling, indecision, prolonged negotiations, burdensome rules, lack of funding and too few hands to move it forward — the costs go up, support softens, champions go quiet and good projects die.
—Gia Biagi, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Black One and Monoliths & Dimensions maintain a slight distance from the listener with a layer of reverb that softens the bone-crushing power of the guitars.
—Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 4 Apr. 2026
Step outside that rarefied tier, however, and the picture softens.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 4 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for softens
Verb
-
Similar to airline tickets or ride-sharing fares, prices may rise when demand exceeds available seats and fall when demand weakens.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
-
This shift ignores local differences and weakens a decentralized model that has allowed rules to be tailored to the realities of each state.—
Cláudia Nunes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Because Saatva mattresses have zoned lumbar support, those who sleep on their sides or who are combination sleepers find that the bed alleviates pressure on their body.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The Metra Track 4 project alleviates a bottleneck for the South Shore, reducing the need to wait for Metra trains to clear the tracks for South Shore Line trains to go through.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Yet the crisis arrives at a time when the helium market has been awash in surplus, which mitigates the war’s immediate effect.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
18 Mar. 2026
-
At least the quality of cabin materials—the complex leather stitching, the suppleness of the hide, the tasteful integration of carbon-fiber trim—lends the cabin a feeling of specialness that mitigates some of the tech frustrations.—
Basem Wasef,
Robb Report,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Stash cushions indoors or in a waterproof deck box to help prevent mold, stains, and fading.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Its dense, ointment-like texture melts on contact, forming a protective seal that cushions fragile skin while locking in moisture.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This relieves lower back pressure and helps the spine settle into its natural curve.—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
-
This reduces swelling and temporarily relieves congestion.—
Jessica Swirble,
Verywell Health,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This helps create a barrier of warmer air that buffers the foliage against the cold.—
Karl Schneider,
IndyStar,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The report eases one of the Fed’s trickiest dilemmas from the past year, when weak job growth put pressure on officials to cut rates even as inflation refused to come down.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
When fear eases, the rush into safe havens tends to ease with it.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Softens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softens. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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