as in weak
lacking bodily strength
the athlete, softened by the long period of convalescence, had to begin his training program almost from scratch
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in weakened
to diminish the physical strength of
three weeks of being sick in bed had noticeably softened her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tempered
to lessen the shock of
had tried to soften the blow of her rejection to his marriage proposal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of softened
Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
McDermott has softened on those decisions recently.
—Joe Buscaglia, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
Add garlic, celery, and onion to pan; cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
—Ann Taylor Pittman, Southern Living, 26 Dec. 2024
However, Carter has since softened her stance on the patches.
—Lydia Patrick, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
The signature Beam nutty grain flavor is present, but it’s softened with layers of milk and dark chocolate, espresso bean, dulce de leche, fig, and a backbone of smoky oak.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 23 Dec. 2024
Add mushrooms, zucchini, onion, bell pepper, Italian seasoning, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes.
—Amanda Holstein, Southern Living, 22 Dec. 2024
Simmer 5 to 7 minutes until apricots are softened.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Dec. 2024
Add the peppers and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until the peppers are softened, about 10 minutes.
—Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
While the emphasis on ESG has softened, the focus on sustainable, scalable growth remains a guiding principle.
—Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
McDermott has softened on those decisions recently.
—Joe Buscaglia, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
Add garlic, celery, and onion to pan; cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
—Ann Taylor Pittman, Southern Living, 26 Dec. 2024
However, Carter has since softened her stance on the patches.
—Lydia Patrick, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
The signature Beam nutty grain flavor is present, but it’s softened with layers of milk and dark chocolate, espresso bean, dulce de leche, fig, and a backbone of smoky oak.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 23 Dec. 2024
Add mushrooms, zucchini, onion, bell pepper, Italian seasoning, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes.
—Amanda Holstein, Southern Living, 22 Dec. 2024
Simmer 5 to 7 minutes until apricots are softened.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Dec. 2024
Add the peppers and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until the peppers are softened, about 10 minutes.
—Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 20 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for softened
Adjective
-
For example, an experimental receiver aboard the Blue Ghost lander acquired and tracked navigation signals from GPS satellites for the first time in lunar orbit, where these signals are 361 times weaker than on Earth.—
Kristin Shaw,
Ars Technica,
27 Feb. 2025
-
By late this evening, the winds will be significantly weaker.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Those at high-risk for listeria infection are newborns, those who are pregnant, have weakened immune systems, and those aged 65 or older.—
Mike Snider,
USA TODAY,
3 Jan. 2025
-
But the militants, while greatly weakened, have repeatedly regrouped, often after Israeli forces withdraw from areas.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Jobson, the college sophomore, fainted on deck, and Ward Weimar, the Dartmouth student, became too feeble to handle the wheel.—
David Wolman,
Smithsonian Magazine,
8 Jan. 2025
-
Breath fogs the air, ice slicks the roads, and the sun seems a distant, feeble glow in the winter sky.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes,
4 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Downside momentum has alleviated from an intermediate-term perspective, evident in the weekly MACD histogram.—
Katie Stockton,
CNBC,
6 Jan. 2025
-
The Kings haven’t exactly alleviated Kopitar of shutdown minutes duty, making this offensive explosion all the more impressive.—
Shayna Goldman,
The Athletic,
31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Their emphasis on key soft skill behaviors makes everybody in the organization much better—even the youngest, least experienced employees.—
Bruce Tulgan,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
-
As for the future, Leopold suggests that soft skills will play a major role.—
Ryan Johnston,
CNBC,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Better yet, these risks are mitigated without the company having to invest in detection technologies upfront.—
Danny Jenkins,
Forbes,
19 Dec. 2024
-
There's general agreement that harms like bias should be mitigated, but disagreements emerge on how exactly to do that.—
Maria Curi,
Axios,
17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
More than one generation of disabled children has grown up under the protections Section 504 provides us.—
Rebekah Taussig,
TIME,
19 Feb. 2025
-
Villa de Vida housing for disabled adults and Soroptimist International of Poway received $3,500; and Blissful Seeds and Helping Hands Ministry received $3,000.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Softened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softened. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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