Link Centre Dictionary

soften

sof·ten

UK/ˈsɒfən/ US/ˈsɔfən/ uncommon

verb

1.

make (images or sounds) soft or softer

Antonyms
2.

lessen in force or effect

  • “soften a shock”
  • “break a fall”
Synonyms
3.

give in, as to influence or pressure

Synonyms
Antonyms
4.

protect from impact

  • “cushion the blow”
Synonyms
5.

make less severe or harsh

  • “He moderated his tone when the students burst out in tears”
Synonyms
6.

make soft or softer

  • “This liquid will soften your laundry”
Antonyms
7.

become soft or softer

  • “The bread will soften if you pour some liquid on it”
Antonyms

Origin

From Middle English softenen, softnen, equivalent to soft + -en.

Phrases

  • soften someone's cough
  • soften the blow
  • soften the ground
  • soften up
  • soften up the ground

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

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WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.