Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

soft-spoken

American  
[sawft-spoh-kuhn, soft-] / ˈsɔftˈspoʊ kən, ˈsɒft- /

adjective

  1. (of persons) speaking with a soft or gentle voice; mild.

  2. (of words) softly or mildly spoken; persuasive.

soft-spoken British  

adjective

  1. speaking or said with a soft gentle voice

  2. able to persuade or impress by glibness of tongue

"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

Etymology

Origin of soft-spoken

First recorded in 1600–10

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.

Nesbitt was a soft-spoken presence in a business of outsize egos, says Greg Williamson, a longtime pension-fund executive.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

The Rev. Israel Vázquez, 58, soft-spoken with close-cropped hair, had held Briany before, when he formally presented the baby to God in a ceremony at his Pentecostal church in Lakeland.

From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026

Having studied philosophy at Sogang University in Seoul, the soft-spoken filmmaker is also known as a great lover of literature, especially Emile Zola and Philip Roth.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

Kikuo remains soft-spoken, while Shunsuke is more of a partier and big talker, dominating their interviews with local journalists.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

I’m wondering who “they” are when, to my surprise, a soft-spoken white girl named Tiffany raises her hand.

From "Blended" by Sharon M. Draper

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.