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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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
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Its woman-on-the-run story is weak at times, not quite engaging enough to get through the constant death and destruction.Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 9 Jan. 2025
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China’s persistently low consumer inflation indicates that China is struggling with weak domestic demand, stoking fears of deflation.Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
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But the militants, while greatly weakened, have repeatedly regrouped, often after Israeli forces withdraw from areas.Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2025
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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
Adjective
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The antihero actioner earned a feeble $4.7 million across Friday and preview screenings from 3,211 locations.J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 14 Dec. 2024
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What a degrading finale for Biden’s feeble, forgettable, frequently foolish presidency.Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Downside momentum has alleviated from an intermediate-term perspective, evident in the weekly MACD histogram.Katie Stockton, CNBC, 6 Jan. 2025
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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
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Buck stands under the soft glow of Tiffany-style fixtures, his guitar slung casually over his shoulders and his brown cowboy hat casting a shadow over his black denim jacket.Maxwell Williams, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2025
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As the discipline matures, soft skills such as communication and cross-functional teamwork will prove just as critical as technical acumen.Srikanta Datta, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Better yet, these risks are mitigated without the company having to invest in detection technologies upfront.Danny Jenkins, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
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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
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Two people were killed in a three-car crash on Interstate 84 in Danbury on Sunday involving a disabled vehicle and a tractor-trailer.Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2025
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The Justice Department took no position on whether the city was wrong to change benefits for disabled retirees.Maureen Groppe, USA TODAY, 13 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near softened
Cite this Entry
“Softened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softened. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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