soften

soften — verb

1. to become less firm and more pliable when pressed, or to cause something to chan

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to become less firm and more pliable when pressed, or to cause something to change from a hard or stiff state into this condition

Example

The butter softened quickly in the warm kitchen near the window.

intransitive: substance becomes soft on its own

Gabriel used a special cream to soften the leather of his hiking boots.

transitive: make a material soft by treating it

Common collocations
  • soften the butter
  • soften the leather
  • fabric softens
  • soften in water
Synonyms
  • melt

    implies turning from solid to liquid by heat, not just becoming softer

  • loosen

    suggests making something less tight rather than less firm

  • tenderize

    specifically for making meat softer by pounding or marinating

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

soften + noun (make something soft)

noun + soften (become soft without object)

Usage Note

This is the only sense of 'soften' that refers to a literal, physical change in texture or consistency. Frequently used with the preposition 'in' (soften in water, soften in heat).

Common Mistakes

I used conditioner to soft my hair.
I used conditioner to soften my hair.
'soft' is an adjective; the verb form is 'soften'.
The ice cream soft in the sun.
The ice cream softened in the sun.
the past tense is 'softened', not 'soft'.

2. to become less strict, severe, or critical in your attitude or behaviour toward

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to become less strict, severe, or critical in your attitude or behaviour toward someone, or to cause someone else to feel or act this way

Example

Eshe's expression softened when she saw the shivering puppy on the porch.

intransitive: face/expression shows less severity

The team leader softened the deadline after several staff members fell ill.

transitive: make a rule or requirement less strict

Common collocations
  • soften one's stance
  • soften towards someone
  • soften the rules
  • soften one's heart
Synonyms
  • relent

    more formal; suggests giving in after being unwilling

  • mellow

    suggests becoming calmer or more relaxed over time

  • ease up

    informal phrasal verb for being less strict

Antonyms
  • harden

    to become less sympathetic or more strict

Grammar Patterns

soften + towards + noun (become less strict with someone)

soften + noun (make someone's attitude gentler)

Usage Note

Commonly used with 'towards' or 'with' to indicate the person affected: 'soften towards someone'. Also frequent with emotion nouns: soften one's heart, soften one's stance.

Common Mistakes

He softens his voice when talking to babies' (should use sense 3 for sounds).
He softened his tone when talking to the frightened child.
'tone' (way of speaking) belongs here; 'voice' (sound quality) belongs to sense 3.

3. to change so that a light, sound, or image becomes less bright, harsh, loud, or

3.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to change so that a light, sound, or image becomes less bright, harsh, loud, or intense, or to cause this effect deliberately, making the result feel more comfortable or pleasant

Example

Apinya pulled the curtains closed to soften the harsh afternoon sunlight.

transitive: soften light with a physical barrier

Thick woollen rugs in the hall soften the sound of footsteps on the floor.

transitive: soften sound with materials

Common collocations
  • soften the light
  • soften the sound
  • soften the image
  • soften the music
Synonyms
  • dim

    specific to reducing light; does not apply to sound

  • muffle

    specific to reducing sound; slightly different method (blocking vs reducing intensity)

  • subdue

    more formal; can apply to colours, lights, and sounds

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

soften + noun (light/sound/image)

soften (become less bright/loud without object)

Usage Note

Unlike sense 2 (attitude), this sense applies only to sensory input — what you see, hear, or perceive visually. 'Soften the lighting' and 'soften the music' are the most common collocations.

4. to reduce the unpleasant effect, shock, or damage of something negative, so it i

4.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to reduce the unpleasant effect, shock, or damage of something negative, so it is easier to deal with or accept

Example

A thick foam mat under the climbing frame softened the children's falls.

literal: physical impact

The manager offered a bonus to soften the announcement of the pay freeze.

metaphorical: soften bad news with a compensation

Common collocations
  • soften the blow
  • soften the impact
  • soften the effects
  • soften the news
Synonyms
  • cushion

    more physical; suggests a buffer between something and its target

  • mitigate

    formal; used for negative effects or harm

  • buffer

    suggests an intermediate layer that absorbs shock

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

soften + noun (the blow/impact/news/effect)

Usage Note

The fixed phrase 'soften the blow' is by far the most frequent pattern. The blow can be literal (a physical strike) or metaphorical (bad news, failure, job loss). This sense is always transitive.

Common Mistakes

The pillow softens my head when I sleep.' (unusual — this sense is for negative impacts).
The pillow softened the impact when I hit my head on the headboard.
the focus should be on a negative event being reduced.

5. to weaken the strength, determination, or ability of someone or something to res

5.verbtransitive / intransitiveC1
Definition

to weaken the strength, determination, or ability of someone or something to resist an attack, an argument, or pressure

Example

The artillery bombardment was designed to soften the enemy defences before the assault.

military: soften defences/before an attack

Ignacio sent several friendly emails to soften the client before presenting his proposal.

sales/negotiation: soften someone up before asking

Common collocations
  • soften the enemy
  • soften the market
  • soften defences
  • soften resistance
Synonyms
  • weaken

    broader; less specific about the method of reducing resistance

  • undermine

    suggests gradual erosion of strength from below

  • cripple

    stronger; implies severe damage to the ability to resist

Antonyms
  • strengthen

    to make resistance or defences stronger

  • fortify

    to add defences or reinforcement

Grammar Patterns

soften + noun (resistance/defence/market)

soften up + noun

Usage Note

The phrasal verb 'soften up' is common in informal and military contexts, meaning to weaken someone's resistance through preparation. In business, 'soften the market' means to make conditions more favourable before launching something.

Common Mistakes

He softened his voice to resist the guard.' (confuses sense 3 with sense 5).
He tried to soften the guard's resistance with a bribe.
this sense targets someone's ability to resist, not the volume of their voice.
Phrasal verbs

soften up

phrasal verb

to weaken someone's resistance or opposition through gradual persuasion, flattery, or preparation, so they become more willing to agree with you

The sales team tried to soften up the client with dinner and concert tickets before presenting the contract.

Justin softened up his parents by doing all the chores for a week before asking for a new laptop.

Idioms

soften/cushion the blow

idiom

To make bad news or a difficult situation less upsetting for someone.

Maya brought cake to soften the blow of the bad news.

Did the manager cushion the blow by offering extra vacation days?

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe making something physically less firm, but they differ in method and context. 'Soften' is the most general term — it applies to any material (butter, leather, fabric) and does not specify the method. 'Melt' specifically means turning a solid into a liquid through heat, so you can soften wax without melting it, but you cannot melt leather. 'Loosen' focuses on reducing tightness rather than firmness: you loosen a screw or a knot, but you soften the bread by adding moisture. 'Tenderize' is very specific — it is only used for meat that is pounded, marinated, or cooked slowly to break down fibres. For everyday use, 'soften' is the safest choice; for meat, use 'tenderize'; for frozen butter, 'soften' at room temperature or 'melt' in the microwave.

soften ↗melt ↗loosentenderize

Common collocations

Nouns

  • soften the blow
  • soften the impact
  • soften the light
  • soften the market
  • soften the leather
  • soften one's tone

Adverbs

  • gradually soften
  • noticeably soften
  • slightly soften
  • quickly soften

Phrases

  • soften the blow
  • soften someone up
  • soften someone's heart
  • soften the rules

Prepositions

  • soften in (water/heat)
  • soften towards (someone)
  • soften with (something)

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'soften' comes from the Old English word 'sōfte' meaning gentle or mild, combined with the suffix '-en' which turns adjectives into verbs (meaning 'to make or become'). It has been used since the 14th century to describe both physical texture and emotional gentleness. Similar Germanic verb formations include 'harden', 'darken', and 'moisten'.