Soften

Pronunciation: /ˈsɑːfən/

Soften (verb)

  1. To make something less hard or firm, often by adding heat or moisture.
  2. To make something less strong or severe, such as a feeling or sound.
  3. To make someone or something more gentle or kind in behavior or attitude.

Examples

  • You can soften the butter by leaving it out of the fridge.
  • They decided to soften the criticism in their report.

Common collocations: soften the surface, soften the material, soften the tone, soften the impact, soften the message

Synonyms of Soften

Formal

Neutral

Antonyms of Soften

  • — To make something firm or solid.
  • — To make something stronger or more severe.