softheartedness

noun

1
as in kindness
the capacity for feeling for another's unhappiness or misfortune the kind of softheartedness that makes him an easy target for anyone with a tale of woe

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tenderness
sympathetic concern for the well-being of others the widow's naive softheartedness makes it hard for her to say "no" to charitable appeals

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for softheartedness
  1. kindness
  2. tenderness
  3. sympathy
  4. humaneness
  5. heart
  6. compassion
Noun
  • Patience and kindness can go a long way, Henderson says, and Seshadri reminds everyone to extend that respect to the airport staff and your fellow passengers.
    — Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Be patient when a grocery store cashier with disabilities rings up your items — kindness can go a long way.
    — John Gill, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of kindness
Noun
  • That roller coaster of flavor and tenderness comes from dry-aging the steaks for 30 to 40 days in rum, and a marinade that involves both jerk spice and Onwuachi’s mother’s Creole green seasoning, a paste of herbs, aromatics and peppers.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
  • There is stillness, a tenderness, a respect for women and a depth of feeling that is unmistakably his.
    — Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of tenderness
Noun
  • Joseph Zada is beyond impressive in a highly demanding role that pushes him to the limit physically and emotionally, perfectly capturing the essence of Haymitch with all the sympathy, charm and bitterness Woody Harrelson brought to the role.
    — Zack Sharf, Variety, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Arab Israelis of Palestinian descent make up 20% of the population but are often seen with suspicion because of their sympathies with other Palestinians.
    — Cara Anna, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of sympathy
Noun
  • Colman superbly nails the seeming contradiction between professional medical detachment and humaneness.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Definition of humaneness
Noun
  • The sharpest character study lies in the potential recipient of Simon’s heart, a woman who has all but given up on having a future but then finds herself at the top of a transplant list, suddenly lucky enough to get a new life.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Ashley Padilla Padilla, who captured hearts as a star cast member of SNL this past year, made the room laugh with a toast full of jokes and references to her most notable sketches.
    — Rebecca Schneid, Time, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of heart
Noun
  • What feels like a weight of helplessness and sorrow on our shoulders may, with enough space, also reflect our remarkable capacities for strength, steadfastness, and compassion.
    — Robert M. Kinast, STAT, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Her solution was to offer kindness and compassion — not to name an enemy and a fix.
    — Kaivan Shroff, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of compassion
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

softheartedly
softheartedness
softies
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Cite this Entry

“Softheartedness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softheartedness. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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