to soften

Examples

• All

• The texture really softens the skin and smooths it out.

• They started to soften and shrink over a period of time.

  André Duqum

• This will just help to soften the water a bit.

• So we need to soften the butter.

• You can always just very lightly soften any edges.

• Where new procedures have been implemented, a transition period can soften the impact of the change.

  Academic text (1993)

• One nice thing about wax is that it softens and melts under exposure to heat.

• You can put the cake in the oven to soften the texture before serving.

• Add warm water to the dried fruit to help soften it for your recipe.

• Cook the potatoes for about ten minutes to soften them before mashing.

Synonyms

M

to mellow

vsto soften

31 4.0

To become or make something softer, gentler, and more pleasant

refers to making something less hard in physical terms not mood or taste

S

to soften up

vsto soften

• Informal

19 3.9

To make someone more willing to agree or make something easier to bend

is the general process of reducing hardness or making something less firm

T

to tenderize

vsto soften

• Specialized

7 4.0

Make meat softer so it is easier to eat

applies to any material, not only food, to reduce firmness or hardness

S

to supple

vsto soften

1 5.9

To make something softer and more flexible by use or treatment

focuses on reducing hardness overall rather than increasing flexibility specifically

Antonyms

H

to harden

27 2.6

Make something hard or solid

Idioms

S

to soften the blow

• Informal

8 4.7

Make bad news or a loss easier to accept

Phrasal Verbs

S

to soften up

• Informal

19 3.9

To make someone more willing to agree or make something easier to bend

S

to soften someone's cough

6.1

Make a person's cough less strong and easier to stop

How Soft

to melt

362 1.0

to soften

55 1.3

to loosen

88 1.0

to relax

78 1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology