soften
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to make or become soft or softer
-
to make or become gentler
-
(intr) commerce
-
(of demand, a market, etc) to weaken
-
(of a price) to fall
-
Other Word Forms
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.
I let everything slump and soften before transferring the mixture to my mini blender for a quick blitz into a pale orange, velvet-like base.
From Salon • May 12, 2026
After parents' and employers' associations objected, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum appeared to soften the announcement, describing it as a "proposal".
From BBC • May 9, 2026
This was the same line of argument she’d taken a million times at Fox News, and she just couldn’t soften it for NBC.
From Slate • May 6, 2026
During the reporting process, I noticed my pessimism soften a little.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026
When it was warm, the sun would soften the tar, which gave off a distinctive odor.
From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers
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.
