soft-spoken

[sawft-spoh-kuhn, soft-]

adjective

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

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

soft-spoken

adjective

1. speaking or said with a soft gentle voice

2. able to persuade or impress by glibness of tongue

Word History and Origins

Origin of soft-spoken¹

First recorded in 1600–10

Example Sentences

“Every time I open my Facebook, the video of my husband’s capture seems to come up,” the soft-spoken Mercedes said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Mr. Lloyd ends the album with a disarmingly soft-spoken version of Leonard Bernstein’s “Somewhere.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Samia, the soft-spoken leader whose calm and gentle demeanour, initially inspired optimism when she assumed power in 2021 after the sudden death in office of her authoritarian predecessor, John Magufuli.

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Diamond was a soft-spoken, serious man who cared deeply about aviation safety and who helped train Wagner and other firefighters in how to deal with aviation emergencies, Wagner said.

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In many ways, Robert is a stand-in for the many soft-spoken, working-class men who contributed their small part to a project much larger than themselves.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• gentle 
• reserved