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
-
An overreliance on tools weakens our civilization (and saps the film’s dramatic thrills).—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Ignoring this reality weakens any serious climate plan.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Unrivaled alleviates the need for that by allowing players to remain stateside in a competitive league.—
Michael Butler,
Miami Herald,
5 Jan. 2026
-
As with many treatments that involve the brain, there are theories about how the device alleviates depression, but little certainty, says Wilkinson.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
15 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The effort theoretically mitigates many of the problems of data centers on Earth, including their power and water usage and heat generation.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The team revealed that the PDA asymmetric photothermal layer not only effectively addresses the issue of insufficient sustained power generation caused by water adsorption saturation but also mitigates the unstable moisture gradient resulting from excessive water evaporation.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease characterized by the breakdown of cartilage—the smooth tissue that cushions the ends of bones.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
23 Dec. 2025
-
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,
22 Dec. 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
-
Listening first eases tension and helps plans click into place.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Jan. 2026
-
However, some people find that lemon water eases bloating.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Softens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softens. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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