soften

verb

soft·​en ˈsȯ-fən 
softened; softening ˈsȯ-fə-niŋ 
ˈsȯf-niŋ
Synonyms of soften

transitive verb

1
: to make soft or softer
2
a
: to weaken the military resistance or the morale of especially by harassment (such as preliminary bombardment)
—often used with up
b
: to impair the strength or resistance of
—often used with up
soften up a sales prospect

intransitive verb

: to become soft or softer
her face softened
softener
ˈsȯ-fə-nər 
ˈsȯf-nər
noun

Synonyms of soften

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Examples of soften in a Sentence

The butter will soften if left on the counter overnight. The recipe called for one stick of butter, softened. The oil is used to soften and preserve the leather. The lotion softens dry skin. The company has softened its stance on dating in the workplace. Her face softened when he entered the room. His criticism of the president has softened in the past year. The grass softened my fall.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Clarify one detail, soften one assumption, and leave room for a smart edit. — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 26 Aug. 2026 Combined with its wide tires, that setup should soften the rougher sections of a city route and help the wheels remain settled over loose or broken surfaces. — New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026 Nor did his spectacular $25 million Venice wedding to Lauren exactly soften the optics. — Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026 That’s because the scent leads with a masculine-leaning opening of almond blossom, pink pepper, and neroli, before softening to its woody vanilla base. — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for soften

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of soften was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing soften

Rhymes for soften

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Browse Nearby Words

soft drink
soften
softener
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Cite this Entry

“Soften.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soften. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

soften

verb
soft·​en ˈsȯ-fən 
softened; softening ˈsȯf-(ə-)niŋ 
1
: to make or become soft or softer
2
: to lessen the strength of
softener
ˈsȯf-(ə-)nər 
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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