Synonyms for soften
ˈsɔ fən, ˈsɒf ənsoft·en

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. soften

   Etymologically, to alleviate is to lift a burden toward oneself, and so lighten it for the bearer; to relieve is to lift it back from the bearer, nearly or quite away; to remove is to take it away altogether. Alleviate is thus less than relieve; relieve, ordinarily, less than remove. We alleviate, relieve or remove the trouble; we relieve, not alleviate, the sufferer. Assuage is, by derivation, to sweeten; mitigate, to make mild; moderate, to bring within measure; abate, to beat down, and so make less. We abate a fever; lessen anxiety; moderate passions or desires; lighten burdens; mitigate or alleviate pain; reduce inflammation; soften, assuage, or moderate grief; we lighten or mitigate punishments; we relieve any suffering of body or mind that admits of help, comfort, or remedy. Alleviate has been often confused with allay. Compare ALLAY.

   Synonyms:
   abate, alleviate, assuage, lessen, lighten, mitigate, moderate, reduce, relieve, remove

   Antonyms:
   aggravate, augment, embitter, enhance, heighten, increase, intensify, magnify, make worse

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. soften

   Synonyms:
   mollify, palliate, compose, mitigate, assuage, dulcify, lenity, yield, macerate, humanize, abate, moderate

   Antonyms:
   harden, indurate, aggravate, excite, infuriate, consolidate

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. softenverb

   make (images or sounds) soft or softer

   Synonyms:
   relent, buffer, yield, moderate, cushion, mince, break, damp, weaken, dampen

   Antonyms:
   harden, indurate, sharpen

2. dampen, damp, soften, weaken, breakverb

   lessen in force or effect

   "soften a shock"; "break a fall"

   Synonyms:
   crack, step down, break away, give way, mince, reveal, give out, unwrap, conk out, part, wash, counteract, collapse, die, transgress, founder, weaken, discover, snap off, stop, go, demote, break out, separate, cushion, muffle, split, give away, damp, smash, dull, offend, get out, fracture, relegate, bring out, violate, pause, divulge, buffer, let on, get around, interrupt, wear out, cave in, deaden, break-dance, check, break up, breach, break in, give, split up, subvert, better, burst, go bad, break off, tone down, disclose, bust, erupt, moisten, relent, recrudesce, undermine, stifle, break dance, go against, dampen, fall in, bump, let out, ruin, fall apart, kick downstairs, de-escalate, break down, infract, fail, come apart, bankrupt, develop, mute, expose, break, moderate, discontinue, intermit, countermine, yield, wear, sabotage

   Antonyms:
   harden, indurate, sharpen

3. yield, relent, softenverb

   give in, as to influence or pressure

   Synonyms:
   mince, render, ease up, grant, give way, pay, moderate, cushion, relent, give, buffer, weaken, afford, knuckle under, give in, cede, concede, succumb, move over, generate, return, dampen, buckle under, damp, yield, bear, break

   Antonyms:
   harden, indurate, sharpen

4. cushion, buffer, softenverb

   protect from impact

   "cushion the blow"

   Synonyms:
   relent, buffer, yield, moderate, cushion, mince, break, damp, weaken, dampen

   Antonyms:
   sharpen, harden, indurate

5. mince, soften, moderateverb

   make less severe or harsh

   "He moderated his tone when the students burst out in tears"

   Synonyms:
   lead, temper, curb, mince, hold in, tame, relent, control, moderate, hold, cushion, check, break, weaken, tone down, yield, buffer, damp, dampen, chasten, chair, contain

   Antonyms:
   sharpen, harden, indurate

6. softenverb

   make soft or softer

   "This liquid will soften your laundry"

   Synonyms:
   relent, buffer, yield, moderate, cushion, mince, break, damp, weaken, dampen

   Antonyms:
   harden, indurate, sharpen

7. softenverb

   become soft or softer

   "The bread will soften if you pour some liquid on it"

   Synonyms:
   relent, buffer, yield, moderate, cushion, mince, break, damp, weaken, dampen

   Antonyms:
   harden, indurate, sharpen

Matched Categories

1. • Change
   • Change Intensity
   • Deaden
   • Modify

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. softenverb

   Synonyms:
   intenerate, melt, touch, make tender, make soft

2. softenverb

   Synonyms:
   assuage, appease, mitigate, moderate, alleviate, soothe, mollify, quiet, calm, still, quell, allay, relieve, ease, abate, temper, qualify, attemper, dull, lessen, blunt

3. softenverb

   Synonyms:
   grow soft

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. softenverb

   Synonyms:
   intenerate, mollify, palliate, extenuate, qualify, modify, relax, mitigate, emolliate, appease, temper, abate, subdue, tone down

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "soften":

   mitigate, sweeten, alleviate, ease, relax, cushion

How to pronounce soften?

How to say soften in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use soften in a sentence?

1. William Congreve:

   Music has charms to soothe the savage breast To soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.

2. Le Maire:

   The European Recovery Fund must allow us to provide support to the aerospace industry and its 3,000 subcontractors, the emergency for me is to soften the shock, but also to keep financing innovation and investment.

3. Eric Foley:

   First lady Ri seems to have been portrayed as offering guidance – not to her husband, of course, but to the factory workers. It is rare for anyone other than Kim Jong Un, or Kim Jong Il or Kim Il Sung before him, to publicly offer guidance to anyone, even at the highest level, most trusted people are rarely ever shown doing that. So this certainly shows a high level of official trust in her. It also suggests an effort to bolster and soften the public positioning of the Pyongyang line to have him visit a cosmetics factory, and have them both appearing to offer guidance to the workers.

4. Daniel Garza:

   You get the sense that there is very little room for persuading Ted Cruz on anything, there is some room where Ted could soften up a little and you get the sense that he won’t.

5. Mutsumi Kagawa:

   The economy is softening and will soften for now. But whether the U.S. is entering a recession is still debatable, lower bond yields will support the economy while (U.S. President Donald) Trump is likely to take steps to support the economy as he seeks re-election. The economy could pick up later this year.