Synonyms

soften

American

[saw-fuhn, sof-uhn] / ˈsɔ fən, ˈsɒf ən /

verb (used with object)

to make soft or softer.

Synonyms:

ease, quiet, calm, alleviate, soothe, mitigate, mollify, melt

Antonyms:

harden

verb (used without object)

to become soft or softer.

Antonyms:

harden

soften British

/ ˈsɒfən /

verb

to make or become soft or softer
to make or become gentler
(intr) commerce
1. (of demand, a market, etc) to weaken
2. (of a price) to fall

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

oversoften verb
resoften verb
unsoftening adjective

Etymology

Origin of soften

Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; soft, -en ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

When her fingers were softened, he pushed back the cuticles.

From Literature

Plus, it seemed odd to smile in this grim place, but I tried to soften my expression, and nodded gently at the little face that reminded me of Mawuli as a little kid.

From Literature

Whether that larger thing is God or the Muse or your own unconscious is less important creating what he calls “a place where awareness can soften, presence can arise, and meaningful connections can grow.”

From The Wall Street Journal

However, overall confidence softened since December and remained well below the trend level, S&P Global said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Although Musk has called lunar missions a “distraction” in the past, he’s softened his stance.

From MarketWatch

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023