1
as in to weaken
to diminish the physical strength of
three weeks of being sick in bed had noticeably softened her
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to alleviate
to lessen the shock of
had tried to soften the blow of her rejection to his marriage proposal
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of soften
Steel and wood fixtures and marble tables and softened by rounded furniture and warm carpets.
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Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 12 Dec. 2024
Adapted from Southern Living 2 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups softened butter
1 egg
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Cream sugar and butter, add egg.
—Kathryn Gregory, The Courier-Journal, 9 Dec. 2024
For those with rounder faces, a fringe can add interest and elongate the face, and bangs can have a softening effect on those with more angular features.
—Ranyechi Udemezue, Vogue, 9 Dec. 2024
Unwrap 1 dough log; let stand at room temperature until slightly softened, about 20 minutes.
—Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 8 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for soften 
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 12 Dec. 2024
Adapted from Southern Living 2 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups softened butter
1 egg
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Cream sugar and butter, add egg.
—Kathryn Gregory, The Courier-Journal, 9 Dec. 2024
For those with rounder faces, a fringe can add interest and elongate the face, and bangs can have a softening effect on those with more angular features.
—Ranyechi Udemezue, Vogue, 9 Dec. 2024
Unwrap 1 dough log; let stand at room temperature until slightly softened, about 20 minutes.
—Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 8 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for soften
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soften
Verb
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In addition, hiring has slowed a bit in recent months, raising the risk that the economy could weaken in the coming months.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
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Too much water can cause the fibers to weaken, become brittle, and break.Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Between holiday gifting, Black Friday, and the dopamine hit that is simply buying something just to alleviate the pre-wintertime blues, rounding up the best new beauty products of the last few weeks is fitting.Kiana Murden, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2024
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How can people alleviate winter air pollution? Residents can take action to reduce air pollution during inversions and dry, stagnant weather conditions.Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The environmental impact could be mitigated with smarter usage choices.Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Dec. 2024
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Power to about 40,000 customers had been shut off by Monday night, including 11,000 in LA County, as Southern California Edison worked to mitigate the impacts of the Santa Ana winds, whose strong gusts can damage electrical equipment and spark wildfires.Jae C. Hong, TIME, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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However, recent events in Afghanistan have tempered expectations for a transition from Islamic extremism to egalitarian tolerance.Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 17 Dec. 2024
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Kamara is still a must-start option in fantasy lineups, but expectations should be tempered to a low-end RB1 or high-end RB2 outlook.Theo Gremminger, The Athletic, 14 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The small ski area (just 14 runs) is buffered by Canada’s largest natural mineral hot springs — the perfect end to a ski day.Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 25 Nov. 2024
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However, these are likely ignored by facial recognition because videos are prone to have distortions due to internet latency issues, buffering or just poor video conditions.Etay Maor, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Although these shoes were very comfortable, cushioned, and accommodating for those with wider feet, our tester noted some pilling in its wool upper fabric over the testing period.Avery Stone, People.com, 27 Nov. 2024
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Courtenay Brown Nov 21, 2024 - Economy U.S. companies are stocking up to cushion incoming Trump tariffs Economists warn that the tariffs promised by President-elect Trump will be a drag on the economy.Ben Berkowitz, Axios, 26 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Soften.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soften. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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