English Explanatory Dictionary

soften

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To make something soft or softer.
  2. To undermine the morale of someone (often soften up).
  3. To make less harsh.
  4. To become soft or softer.
  5. To become or make (a consonant) more lenis, to lenite.
  6. To palatalize.

Pronunciation

sŏfʹen /ˈsɒfən/ sôfʹen /ˈsɔf(t)ən/ /ˈsɑf(t)ən/ En-us-soften.ogg /ˈsɔfən/ [ˈsɔ̟fən]

Word forms

soften softens softening softened

Etymology

From Middle English softenen, softnen, equivalent to soft + -en.

Synonyms

emolliate mollify soften tenderize subdue temper

Antonyms

harden

Related words

mollify neshen softness soft

Derived words

nonsoftening oversoften presoften resoften softenable softener softeningly soften someone's cough soften the blow soften the ground soften up soften up the ground unsoftenable unsoftened unsoftening
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