verb
soften
SO-fuhn
verb
1
To make something soft or softer, or to become soft.
"Let the butter soften at room temperature before mixing."
"Her expression softened when she saw the puppy."
2
To make something less harsh, severe, or intense.
"He tried to soften the blow by explaining his reasons first."
How to Use Soften
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo make (or become) less hard, harsh, or severe.
Common pairings
soften the blow
soften up
soften the tone
Word Forms
softened past tense, softens singular
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Etymology
From Middle English softenen, built from soft + the verb-forming suffix -en.