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
And their expectations for the U.S. economy softened, which is a leading indicator for markets and GDP.
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Kelly Evans, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2025
The handbag category has softened over recent years as economic pressures and other factors have sparked large price increases among luxury brands and have caused customers to cut back on spending.
—Layla Ilchi, WWD, 9 Jan. 2025
Ranieri only softened his stance after Leicester had fought back from behind to secure a 2-2 draw with West Ham during the run-in.
—Paul Taylor, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
Conservators applied solvent gel to soften the paint before carefully shaving away the layers using plastic scrapers.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for soften 
Kelly Evans, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2025
The handbag category has softened over recent years as economic pressures and other factors have sparked large price increases among luxury brands and have caused customers to cut back on spending.
—Layla Ilchi, WWD, 9 Jan. 2025
Ranieri only softened his stance after Leicester had fought back from behind to secure a 2-2 draw with West Ham during the run-in.
—Paul Taylor, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
Conservators applied solvent gel to soften the paint before carefully shaving away the layers using plastic scrapers.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for soften
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soften
Verb
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Elon Musk, one of Trump’s confidants, has already met with Iran’s UN ambassador; now that Israel has weakened Tehran and pummeled its proxies in the Middle East, a diplomatic breakthrough may be achievable.Charles A. Kupchan, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
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The widening yield differentials between Chinese and U.S. sovereign bonds could risk encouraging capital outflows and put further pressure on the yuan that has been weakening against the greenback.Anniek Bao, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Living underground for extended periods of time requires mental clarity, and these wellness amenities will help alleviate anxiety so that residents can stay physically and mentally strong.Jim Dobson, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
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China has cut policy rates, loosened property purchase restrictions, injected liquidity into the financial market as well as unveiled a debt-swap program to alleviate local governments’ fiscal strains.Anniek Bao, CNBC, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
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To mitigate this, consider: Spreading withdrawals over multiple years to decrease the tax bite.James Brewer, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
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The quarterback movement also helps mitigate the offensive line protection issues by getting Stroud away from rushers by design.Daniel Popper, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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She's had second thoughts about withdrawing, but they were tempered after seeing that the tasks for the remaining celebrities only got progressively more perilous.Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025
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Even the first few minutes behind the large steering wheel reveal how much this power train demands respect, or at least a healthy dose of bravado tempered with enough experience to tame slides.Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 15 Jan. 2025
Verb
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If people are able to find ways to help, taking action is known to buffer the negative effects of stress and anxiety related to witnessing a disaster.Sari Hitchins, Parents, 10 Jan. 2025
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Asking them to also buffer tension during politically polarizing moments for their direct reports is a lofty task.Gabriella Rosen Kellerman, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Spondylolisthesis is most common in older adults, called degenerative spondylolisthesis, when the disks that cushion the spaces between spinal bones break down with aging, increasing the risk of a bone slipping out of place.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
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Plus, its large touchscreen can pivot to display off-equipment workouts For a little less: The 1250 has a lot in common with the 1750, including its HD touchscreen, iFit membership integration, and cushioned running deck.Sara Coughlin, SELF, 2 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Soften.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soften. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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