soften
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
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to make or become soft or softer
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to make or become gentler
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(intr) commerce
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(of demand, a market, etc) to weaken
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(of a price) to fall
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Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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softensimple
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softenssimple
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have softenedperfect
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has softenedperfect
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am softeningprogressive
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are softeningprogressive
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is softeningprogressive
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have been softeningperfect progressive
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has been softeningperfect progressive
Past
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softenedsimple
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had softenedperfect
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was softeningprogressive
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were softeningprogressive
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had been softeningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of soften
Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; see origin at soft, -en 1
Explanation
To soften is to make something soft, or to become soft. A stick of butter will soften after sitting on the counter for an hour—or you can soften it by squishing it with a wooden spoon. You can literally soften things, the way a sculptor softens clay or you soften the skin on your hands with lotion. Turning down the sound is another way to soften something: "I'll soften the radio so it doesn't keep you awake." When you make something gentler or less severe, you also soften it, like when a lawmaker tries to soften the effect of a law by proposing a tax cut in return.
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.
See Examples For:
French inflation eased more than expected in June, suggesting price pressures are beginning to soften amid falling energy costs due to easing tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
Long seen as confrontational, she worked hard on the campaign trail to soften her image.
From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026
Road surfaces can also soften in the heat, which can require gritters.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
“It will likely require the peace agreement to hold, oil prices to ease, inflation to cool and labor data to soften enough that markets stop expecting a Fed hike later this year,” he said.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 18, 2026
I brace myself for the Beauty Minister, Du Barry, or even Sophia herself, with a reprimand for trying to soften Sophia's manner without her consent.
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
Buying equity stakes rather than owning depreciating fleets softens that, but the line between “demand layer” and “co-investor in hardware” thins with each deal.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 24, 2026
The “falling backwards” Daphne experiences in Eddie’s company — traversing time — soothes, softens and delights her.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 2026
Instead of carving away tissue like LASIK, the method temporarily softens the cornea so it can be gently molded into a new shape.
From Science Daily ● May 28, 2026
While that’s going, sauté thinly sliced onion in a pan until it softens, then add black beans, salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin.
From Salon ● May 5, 2026
Her voice softens as she adds, “Plus it’s expensive. Mom’s a hairdresser. Dad’s a mechanic. Not like we have great insurance or anything.”
From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy
Europe’s heat has spurred a wave of demand for air conditioning and softened resistance from authorities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
When Steve found out that I was moving across the country, he softened his friend-zone stance and told me he loved me.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
Loose rock and debris shifted down slopes, reshaping parts of the surface and contributing to the softened appearance of many craters visible in Lucy's images.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 25, 2026
The organisation's president Edmund King advised drivers to slow down and avoid harsh braking or steering if they come across a softened or damaged road surface.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
It was Mr. Collins’s picture of Hunsford and Rosings rationally softened; and Elizabeth perceived that she must wait for her own visit there to know the rest.
From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
Officials agreed to those reductions amid worries that a softening labor market could need more support and believing policy was restrictive enough to keep lowering inflation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
“This supports our view of a marginal softening in services momentum,” ANZ said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
Jefferies analyst Surinder Thind has been wary of the company’s growth prospects for months, flagging softening demand as far back as March, at the time of Accenture’s previous earnings report.
From Barron's ● Jun. 22, 2026
Plus, additional crude supplies in the form of exports coming mostly from the U.S. and also from countries in South America and Africa are softening the blow.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 9, 2026
It was something about her lately, a mellowing, a softening from which this note had come.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
