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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of soften
Notes of roasted agave are softened by hints of citrus, white peach, and candied pine.
—
Richard Carleton Hacker, Robb Report, 24 Jan. 2025
Hegseth at his confirmation hearing softened his stance on women in ground combat roles.
—Tom Bowman, NPR, 24 Jan. 2025
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil followed by the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and browns, about 5 minutes.
—Joe Yonan, Saveur, 23 Jan. 2025
This buttery formula softens and plumps lips overnight thanks to a moisture-boosting blend of coconut oil, murumuru seed butter, and shea butter.
—Sarah Han, Allure, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for soften 
Richard Carleton Hacker, Robb Report, 24 Jan. 2025
Hegseth at his confirmation hearing softened his stance on women in ground combat roles.
—Tom Bowman, NPR, 24 Jan. 2025
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil followed by the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and browns, about 5 minutes.
—Joe Yonan, Saveur, 23 Jan. 2025
This buttery formula softens and plumps lips overnight thanks to a moisture-boosting blend of coconut oil, murumuru seed butter, and shea butter.
—Sarah Han, Allure, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for soften
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soften
Verb
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With rising conflicts and weakened diplomacy, the global order is set to fragment in 2025, intensifying economic volatility.—
Sarwant Singh,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
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Beijing has also been working to repair ties with American allies like Japan to try to weaken the security alliances forged by the Biden administration to constrain China.—
David Pierson,
New York Times,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
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These WMAs are comprised of cropland, forest, lake and wetlands that serve to provide refuge for geese that may help alleviate the effects of hunting.—
GrrlScientist,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
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With no viable options for a second scorer to take the load off of Curry, getting either Vucevic or Turner will help alleviate the scoring burden and with lineup versatility.—
Jannelle Moore,
The Mercury News,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Like a financial portfolio manager who diversifies assets to mitigate risk and maximize return, a Cultural Portfolio Manager leverages the varied racial and cultural backgrounds within an organization to create a thriving, innovative and adaptable workplace.—
David D. Ireland,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
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The Obama Administration had committed to contributing to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), which helps developing countries mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change.—
Nik Popli,
TIME,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
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An outspoken critic of popular anti-obesity drugs, Kennedy seems to have tempered his views on the topic.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA TODAY,
29 Jan. 2025
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The appeal of nearshoring, wherein delivery to Europe within three to four days was a real advantage, has been tempered by costs.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
28 Jan. 2025
Verb
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And existing immunity could, for a time, still buffer against an infectious deluge, especially from pathogens that remain quite rare globally.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
28 Jan. 2025
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The segment eventually ran, complete with a newscaster making wacky comments about other news stories buffering it.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
27 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Doctors also identified the fluid as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a protective substance that cushions the brain and spinal cord.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
18 Jan. 2025
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Running shoes were barely cushioned, the sports bra hadn’t been invented and yoga mats were usually just blankets.—
Danielle Friedman,
New York Times,
15 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Soften.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soften. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
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