as in weak
lacking bodily strength
the athlete, softened by the long period of convalescence, had to begin his training program almost from scratch
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in weakened
to diminish the physical strength of
three weeks of being sick in bed had noticeably softened her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tempered
to lessen the shock of
had tried to soften the blow of her rejection to his marriage proposal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of softened
Sherri Gordon, Health, 21 Apr. 2026
No mixer required This recipe calls for softened butter, and for stirring everything together in one-bowl, so no mixer is required!
—Josh Miller, Southern Living, 14 Apr. 2026
The ground beef was chopped fine on the grill and folded together with sweet, softened onions and perfectly melted American cheese, all tucked into a soft roll with crisp lettuce and tomato for balance.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
Room-temperature eggs, along with softened butter and cream cheese, blend more smoothly, helping the batter emulsify and bake evenly.
—Inés Anguiano, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Mar. 2026
After cooking, the Sam's offering fell flat with softened cups of pepper that held their shape just well enough to become little swimming pools of exuded moisture.
—Paul Stephen, San Antonio Express-News, 11 Mar. 2026
Add onion and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 23 Feb. 2026
For a Rihanna-style manicure, file your nails straight across, paying attention to clean lines with slightly softened corners.
—Lina-Marie Baatz, Glamour, 20 Feb. 2026
To remove the wax, wipe out softened wax with paper towels, add cotton balls to absorb the liquid wax, or let the wax harden and remove it by popping it out with a thin plastic spatula.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 16 Feb. 2026
Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
When the roasted oysters arrive, their usual brininess is softened by a fragrant coconut curry and sharp Asiago cheese.
—Natalie Hoy, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2026
Two hundred fifty years ago our political forebears softened their biases and brought forth something new and remarkable.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026
One of the most important psychological muscles adults need is the ability to tolerate difficult truths without requiring them to be endlessly softened, and strong leadership helps build that muscle.
—Jonathan Alpert Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
This contemporary backyard from Fantastic Frank is softened by a row of voluminous bushes in varying shades of green for a lush feel.
—Kristin Hohenadel, The Spruce, 24 Apr. 2026
Public spaces are intimate and inviting – homely in scale and softened by a palette of sage green, buttercup yellow and an assortment of blues.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
But gradually the sound softened.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 23 Apr. 2026
The vehicle’s sharp edges have also been softened just a tad and its ride height lowered, which combine to give the car an even more athletic air.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Due to their softened texture, the bones are generally safe, but there are exceptions.
—Sherri Gordon, Health, 21 Apr. 2026
No mixer required This recipe calls for softened butter, and for stirring everything together in one-bowl, so no mixer is required!
—Josh Miller, Southern Living, 14 Apr. 2026
The ground beef was chopped fine on the grill and folded together with sweet, softened onions and perfectly melted American cheese, all tucked into a soft roll with crisp lettuce and tomato for balance.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
Room-temperature eggs, along with softened butter and cream cheese, blend more smoothly, helping the batter emulsify and bake evenly.
—Inés Anguiano, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Mar. 2026
After cooking, the Sam's offering fell flat with softened cups of pepper that held their shape just well enough to become little swimming pools of exuded moisture.
—Paul Stephen, San Antonio Express-News, 11 Mar. 2026
Add onion and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 23 Feb. 2026
For a Rihanna-style manicure, file your nails straight across, paying attention to clean lines with slightly softened corners.
—Lina-Marie Baatz, Glamour, 20 Feb. 2026
To remove the wax, wipe out softened wax with paper towels, add cotton balls to absorb the liquid wax, or let the wax harden and remove it by popping it out with a thin plastic spatula.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 16 Feb. 2026
Verb
This hit, however, has been softened by the fact that Robinhood has succeeded in growing other business lines, notably banking and prediction markets, allowing its overall revenue to remain steady.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
When the roasted oysters arrive, their usual brininess is softened by a fragrant coconut curry and sharp Asiago cheese.
—Natalie Hoy, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2026
Two hundred fifty years ago our political forebears softened their biases and brought forth something new and remarkable.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026
One of the most important psychological muscles adults need is the ability to tolerate difficult truths without requiring them to be endlessly softened, and strong leadership helps build that muscle.
—Jonathan Alpert Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
This contemporary backyard from Fantastic Frank is softened by a row of voluminous bushes in varying shades of green for a lush feel.
—Kristin Hohenadel, The Spruce, 24 Apr. 2026
Public spaces are intimate and inviting – homely in scale and softened by a palette of sage green, buttercup yellow and an assortment of blues.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
But gradually the sound softened.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 23 Apr. 2026
The vehicle’s sharp edges have also been softened just a tad and its ride height lowered, which combine to give the car an even more athletic air.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for softened
Adjective
-
Viel made a weak pass that led to the goal but had a strong hit on McDavid in the opening 20 minutes as well.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
-
With the uncertainty caused by the war with Iran, the price of oil going through the roof, and tariffs complicating company supply chains, analysts expected the labor market to get weaker.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This has been a story of unforeseen incidents, such as the unnoticed approach of the storm and the capsizing in front of high cliffs that prevented us from swimming ashore before the cold water had weakened us.—
Jim Hoagland,
Outdoor Life,
30 Apr. 2026
-
For Caracas, the engagement offers a chance to attract foreign capital and revive industries weakened by years of mismanagement and sanctions.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
So, in retrospect, [the entire Lightning project] looked pretty feeble.—
Jamie Lincoln Kitman,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
-
His visit also comes as the committee stalls on advancing Casey Means, Kennedy’s nominee for surgeon general, over her lack of medical practice experience and feeble answers on the importance of vaccination.—
Daniel Payne,
STAT,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The 2022 releases from Flaming Gorge were followed by a wet winter, which alleviated water worries across the region for a time.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Landsman said the military objectives in Iran have been met; Vargas said the humanitarian crisis facing Iranian protesters had been alleviated; and Cuellar said the president’s grace period for providing a rationale for the war had expired.—
Mike Lillis,
The Hill,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Reaves’ soft-tissue injury usually carries a four-to-six-week recovery process.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
-
With Minnesota viewing them as soft, the Nuggets hardly seem bothered by the criticism.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Those teams’ respective front office heads, Rob Pelinka and Tim Connelly, should take a bow for making moves that have mitigated the damage.—
Sam Amick,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
But don’t overlook that California’s construction efforts have modestly mitigated the pain in the wallet.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The organization analyzed actuarial figures from the Social Security Administration and found that as many as 400,000 poor and disabled people and indigent older people could have their support cut or eliminated.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
There are buckets of disabled mobile phones.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But noise, as well as glare, are typically buffered with vegetative landscaping and setbacks, or the distance between the property line and the nearest structure.—
Anna Clark,
ProPublica,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Though the dugongs are currently buffered from the conflict in the strait, Bartholomew noted that a spill reaching their coastal waters would pose a serious threat.—
Asuka Koda,
CNN Money,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Softened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softened. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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