1
as in to weaken
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 to alleviate
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 soften
The city’s proposal would soften that requirement by automatically making any area eligible if free Sunday parking goes away in that area.
—
David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025
Support softens considerably for deportations of all people in the country illegally, with 43% in favor and 37% opposed.
—Valerie Gonzalez, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2025
Moody interiors cancel out the sunny exteriors with a dark, natural color palette softened by plenty of textured rugs and furnishings.
—Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 5 Apr. 2025
In another era, rumors of toxicity on set would’ve been quietly addressed by teams, softened by strategy.
—Remy Blumenfeld, HollywoodReporter, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for soften
David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025
Support softens considerably for deportations of all people in the country illegally, with 43% in favor and 37% opposed.
—Valerie Gonzalez, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2025
Moody interiors cancel out the sunny exteriors with a dark, natural color palette softened by plenty of textured rugs and furnishings.
—Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 5 Apr. 2025
In another era, rumors of toxicity on set would’ve been quietly addressed by teams, softened by strategy.
—Remy Blumenfeld, HollywoodReporter, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for soften
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soften
Verb
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But that progress stalled out around the turn of the year, which weakened the case for further rate cuts and ultimately prompted the Fed to stand pat in January.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2025
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More broadly, consumer sentiment has declined and retail sales growth has weakened, reflecting the uncertainty of customers over where the economy is headed.—
Harry Holzer,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The team may want to alleviate some of his workload to help preserve his game.—
Shayna Goldman,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
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Starting the hiring process doesn’t alleviate their workload in the interim.—
Nolan Hout,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Understanding the implications can help in planning and mitigating any potential delays.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
11 Mar. 2025
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Talk to your allergist – are there ways of helping to mitigate the impact of potential exposure?—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Before the war, Mr. Biden also pressured the Israeli prime minister to temper his efforts to overhaul his country’s judicial system, a plan that critics called a blatant power grab and an existential threat to Israel’s liberal democracy.—
Michael D. Shear,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
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These guys can still rock, 60 years after their first top-10 hit, if a bit tempered by age.—
Greg Palkot,
FOXNews.com,
6 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Nevertheless, faced with restricted access to U.S. markets and weaker U.S. consumer demand, the rest of the world will look to export market diversification, trade arrangements that exclude the United States, and other approaches to buffer themselves against a looming global trade war.—
Eswar Prasad,
Foreign Affairs,
3 Apr. 2025
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The next best option is wrapping them with insulation material or old blankets to buffer temperature fluctuations and protect them from the cold.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The Federal Reserve could cushion the blow of tariffs on the economy by cutting interest rates, which can encourage companies and households to borrow and spend.—
Elaine Kurtenbach,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2025
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Build an emergency fund to cushion the blow when life throws the unexpected your way. 7.—
Brian Kelly,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Soften.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soften. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
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