to soften
50
3.1
- verb
- /ˈsɔːfən/
:
suavizar
- I advise you to soften the blow.
- soften the blow
- soften the tone
- soften the image
So I'm just going to soften that a little bit.
- So I'm just going to soften that a little bit.
- It can soften them enough to let them bend.
- Oat and orange peel extract helps soothe and soften, or Shea butter helps moisturize well.
- So I'm going to brush these up and just try to kind of soften it and then like that.
Examples
-
I just wish there were some way I could soften the news when I tell her.
-
But the government wanted to soften the blow by making pensions and health insurance affordable.
Academic text (1996) -
I'm still trying to soften the cold, hard truth of it.
-
It just helps soften the entire eyeshadow look.
-
He's long known that earth tones soften his image, making him seem more sympathetic and sincere.
Academic text (2001) -
But it's your job, Mr 10,000-dollar-a-week image-maker, to change all that... to soften the hard edges.
-
The educational directive in this updated agreement was softened and made unilateral.
Academic text (2016) -
She tried to soften the harsh criticism with a more gentle approach.
-
The warm sunlight helped to soften the edges of the cold, hard snow.
-
To make the difficult conversation easier, he aimed to soften his tone.
Synonyms
305
2.1
To make something less painful or difficult
305
2.8
To make people and things less strong or effective
66
3.5
Make something less strong or harsh
44
3.7
To make something less strong, for example a sound, color or feeling
34
4.4
To make something less strong or intense
34
2.8
To make something smaller in amount or strength
31
4.0
To become or make something softer, gentler, and more pleasant
26
4.8
To make a sound or feeling less strong
26
2.5
To make a load or worry feel less heavy
23
3.7
To make a blow or bad news less strong
19
3.9
To make someone more willing to agree or make something easier to bend
16
4.4
Make something less strong or noticeable, for example sound and feeling
9
7.9
To make something weaker, like sound or light
8
4.7
Make bad news or a loss easier to accept
8
7.2
To make someone less angry or upset
5
4.6
To make a shock or harm have less effect
To make someone feel calmer or less angry
Antonyms
Idioms
Phrasal Verbs
How Gentle
- Formal
20
7.7
76
5.3
63
5.8
50
3.1
63
4.2
44
3.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Soften comes from the simple word soft and the ending -en, which means 'make' or 'become'. So to soften a rule or a criticism is to make it 'less hard' or 'less harsh', and that is why it means to make something gentler.