1
as in weakens
to diminish the physical strength of
three weeks of being sick in bed had noticeably softened her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in alleviates
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
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.
Recent Examples of softens
White rum lays down a clean, spirited base, while the richness of maple syrup lends a silky depth that softens the citrus bite of fresh lemon juice.
—
Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
When the material is loaded up with pain killers and/or anti-inflammatory drugs, they would be released as the hydrogel softens, interrupting the pain pathway and bringing relief to patients.
—New Atlas, 10 Sep. 2025
The soft sign is a letter of the Russian alphabet with no sound of its own which softens the preceding consonant.
—Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
For even more granular results, leave it on as a mask for ten or so minutes, once weekly, and watch as the balm’s blend of nine essential oils soothes, softens, and clarifies.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2025
Arrive early—even at this altitude, the snow softens into slush by midday.
—Alexandra Emanuelli, Travel + Leisure, 6 Sep. 2025
Bakar’s presence softens Bieber’s bad attitude and makes the track a little more romantic.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
The elder Hall’s indifference toward his son’s life shocks even his captor, prompting a bonding moment that softens the viewer’s perceptions of both men.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2025
The light denim softens the structured presence of the boot, striking a balance between precision and lightness.
—Alex Sales, Glamour, 23 Aug. 2025
Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
When the material is loaded up with pain killers and/or anti-inflammatory drugs, they would be released as the hydrogel softens, interrupting the pain pathway and bringing relief to patients.
—New Atlas, 10 Sep. 2025
The soft sign is a letter of the Russian alphabet with no sound of its own which softens the preceding consonant.
—Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
For even more granular results, leave it on as a mask for ten or so minutes, once weekly, and watch as the balm’s blend of nine essential oils soothes, softens, and clarifies.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2025
Arrive early—even at this altitude, the snow softens into slush by midday.
—Alexandra Emanuelli, Travel + Leisure, 6 Sep. 2025
Bakar’s presence softens Bieber’s bad attitude and makes the track a little more romantic.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
The elder Hall’s indifference toward his son’s life shocks even his captor, prompting a bonding moment that softens the viewer’s perceptions of both men.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2025
The light denim softens the structured presence of the boot, striking a balance between precision and lightness.
—Alex Sales, Glamour, 23 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for softens
Verb
-
This special assurance for a specific competitor weakens competition.—
Alden Abbott,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
This is seen in conditions such as rickets, which softens and weakens the bones, often seen in children.—
Anthea Levi,
Health,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Gaming laptops, especially those with larger screens, tend to be bulky, but the Slim alleviates some of that.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
8 Sep. 2025
-
There are occasional flashbacks to his childhood, as well as moments out-of-time, where Kafka finds himself in the modern-day Czech republic, but none of this alleviates the pacing doldrums of a conventional biopic.—
Sam Bodrojan,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Smart screening mitigates these risks while actively building a workforce equipped for tomorrow’s challenges.—
Kenneth Coats,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Plenty of Republican senators, including Marsha Blackburn and Josh Hawley, are keen to pass regulation that mitigates AI harms.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This high level of contract coverage provides strong earnings visibility and cushions the company against short-term freight rate volatility.—
Ankita Dhawan,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
-
Osteoarthritis is a disease that comes about as the cartilage that cushions your joints gradually disappears.—
Caroline C. Boyle,
USA Today,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The engine restarts as soon as the driver relieves pressure from the brake.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
8 Sep. 2025
-
That relieves the burden on the central network, which lowers the risk of blackouts and congestion.—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Paired with the vibrations of Tibetan singing bowls, the experience eases jet lag, loosens tight muscles and leaves body and mind in a state of meditative calm.—
Katharina Kotrba,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
-
In the past quarter century, gold has never declined in price when the central bank eases monetary policy at the same time as inflation remains above the central bank's 2% target, according to Bank of America's commodity analysts.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Softens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softens. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share