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
By night, the scene softens with storm lanterns lit by hotel staff, who also patrol the premises.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Mar. 2026
The same goes for Linda, who softens at the recognition of her daughter's humanity, which is all too easy to overlook in times of crisis.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
Cook, stirring often, until the onion softens, about four minutes.
—Kelly McCarthy, ABC News, 10 Mar. 2026
But suspicion softens when someone hands you a plate of food.
—Monti Carlo, AJC.com, 8 Mar. 2026
Bullnose's curved profile softens hard, linear edges often found in brickwork and concrete.
—Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 4 Mar. 2026
The serum in the mascara-like application gently softens and styles fly-aways in a pinch.
—Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 4 Mar. 2026
The March full moon is commonly known as the Worm Moon and is named for the time of year when the ground softens to allow earthworms and burrowing beetles to emerge.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 3 Mar. 2026
Thoughtful conversation softens defensiveness and grows respect.
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2026
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Mar. 2026
The same goes for Linda, who softens at the recognition of her daughter's humanity, which is all too easy to overlook in times of crisis.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
Cook, stirring often, until the onion softens, about four minutes.
—Kelly McCarthy, ABC News, 10 Mar. 2026
But suspicion softens when someone hands you a plate of food.
—Monti Carlo, AJC.com, 8 Mar. 2026
Bullnose's curved profile softens hard, linear edges often found in brickwork and concrete.
—Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 4 Mar. 2026
The serum in the mascara-like application gently softens and styles fly-aways in a pinch.
—Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 4 Mar. 2026
The March full moon is commonly known as the Worm Moon and is named for the time of year when the ground softens to allow earthworms and burrowing beetles to emerge.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 3 Mar. 2026
Thoughtful conversation softens defensiveness and grows respect.
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for softens
Verb
-
And if the economy deteriorates and the labor market materially weakens at the same time?—
Allie Canal,
NBC news,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Without this supply from the updraft, the storm weakens and dissipates.—
Mary Wasson,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Hunter trade alleviates the logjam in the backcourt, clears the way for rookie Nique Clifford to get more playing time and opens a roster spot for the Kings to convert rookie two-way center Dylan Cardwell to a standard NBA contract.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Similarly, having a closed kitchen alleviates some of the pressure of reducing visual clutter.—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Notably, although overpaying is still possible, the tipping system largely mitigates this issue since tip prices are rarely all that high.—
Ethan M. Stone,
Ascend Agency,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
It’s made with a flexible and plush EVA midsole that cushions every step and absorbs shock keeping foot pain away.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
QatarEnergy, the Gulf nation's state-run petroleum firm that handles all of its oil and gas business, said Wednesday that was declaring Force Majeure, a measure that relieves a company of its contractual obligations when it is impacted by circumstances beyond its control.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 Mar. 2026
-
This lotion relieves and helps prevent and relieve dry skin for 24 hours.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This helps create a barrier of warmer air that buffers the foliage against the cold.—
Karl Schneider,
IndyStar,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Realistic math eases shared stress.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
10 Mar. 2026
-
This eases the pressure of constant perfection.—
Julianna Chen,
Dallas Morning News,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Softens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softens. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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