1
as in weakening
to diminish the physical strength of
three weeks of being sick in bed had noticeably softened her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in alleviating
to lessen the shock of
had tried to soften the blow of her rejection to his marriage proposal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in emollient
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in mellowing
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of softening
Carrie Madormo, Rn, Health, 24 Dec. 2024
Another indicator of a softening economy is Industrial Production.
—Robert Barone, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Its intensely moisturizing formula features amino acids that make up the protein keratin (which is key for maintaining your hair’s structure and strength) and hair-softening plant extracts.
—Sara Coughlin, SELF, 23 Dec. 2024
These are made with sunflower seed oil, avocado oil, and Vitamin E, smoothing and softening even the roughest skin.
—Veronica Booth, Rolling Stone, 20 Dec. 2024
Valuing Quality Hires The tech industry is shifting from volume hiring to quality hiring, as companies prioritize the impact of each new employee in a softening labor market.
—Jack Kelly, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
The company blamed worsened consumer sentiment in China for driving further softening in overall prestige beauty in mainland China and low conversion rates in Asia travel retail and Hong Kong.
—Kathryn Hopkins, WWD, 16 Dec. 2024
The spray-on scent has a skin-softening base of sweet almond, macadamia, argan, and apricot kernel oils.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2024
Avoid items that show signs of changes in food texture, such as softening or ice crystals.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 10 Dec. 2024
Noun
An iron deficiency may lead to nail changes such as softening and weakness.
—Carrie Madormo, Rn, Health, 24 Dec. 2024
Another indicator of a softening economy is Industrial Production.
—Robert Barone, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Its intensely moisturizing formula features amino acids that make up the protein keratin (which is key for maintaining your hair’s structure and strength) and hair-softening plant extracts.
—Sara Coughlin, SELF, 23 Dec. 2024
These are made with sunflower seed oil, avocado oil, and Vitamin E, smoothing and softening even the roughest skin.
—Veronica Booth, Rolling Stone, 20 Dec. 2024
Valuing Quality Hires The tech industry is shifting from volume hiring to quality hiring, as companies prioritize the impact of each new employee in a softening labor market.
—Jack Kelly, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
The company blamed worsened consumer sentiment in China for driving further softening in overall prestige beauty in mainland China and low conversion rates in Asia travel retail and Hong Kong.
—Kathryn Hopkins, WWD, 16 Dec. 2024
The spray-on scent has a skin-softening base of sweet almond, macadamia, argan, and apricot kernel oils.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2024
Avoid items that show signs of changes in food texture, such as softening or ice crystals.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 10 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for softening
Verb
-
Moffett also said artificial intelligence isn’t driving an upgrade cycle as hoped, noting that there is weakening demand in China along with antitrust concerns.—
Jason Gewirtz,
CNBC,
8 Jan. 2025
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With high expectations for future new orders along with expanding current new orders, the outlooks for material handling and supply chain industries are positive, despite some weakening in the December MHI BAI report.—
Jason Schenker,
Forbes,
7 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Despite climbing home prices, mortgage rates have recently reported weeks of declines and inventory is growing in many parts of the country, alleviating the shortage of homes and forcing sellers to slash prices to attract still-cautious buyers.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
22 Mar. 2025
-
But aside from a desire for revenge against Israel and remaining the primary power broker in Gaza, Hamas has consistently struggled to articulate an achievable long-term strategy for alleviating the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.—
Mkhaimar Abusada,
The Conversation,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The British government will see a deal it as a vindication of Starmer’s emollient approach to Trump, which has avoided direct confrontation or criticism.—
Zeke Miller,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2025
-
The British government will see a deal as a vindication of Starmer’s emollient approach to Trump, which has avoided direct confrontation or criticism.—
Jill Lawless,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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And in most non-city counties, such as Kerr, which had 96 deaths as of Thursday due to floods, some officials tend to be lenient towards building owners with restrictions, some state leaders and environmental experts told ABC News.—
Ivan Pereira,
ABC News,
11 July 2025
-
Even if local laws are lenient about when you are allowed to operate a leaf blower, timing is key to good leaf blower etiquette.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 July 2025
Noun
-
Grow sweet peas in full sun with rich, well-draining soil and deadhead often to promote continuous flowering.—
Lauren Dunec Hoang,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 July 2025
-
For optimum flowering, all geraniums should receive at least 6 hours of direct sun each day.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
13 July 2025
Verb
-
Understanding the gravity of a red flag warning and adhering to these precautions is pivotal in mitigating the risk of wildfires during these perilous conditions.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
14 Mar. 2025
-
Also, leadership oversight is critical for identifying and mitigating risks.—
Pooja Sathe,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Not only did the team put an offensive moniker that shall remain nameless in this space in its past, but Snyder's sad and disturbing reign as owner finally came to a merciful end.—
Jim Reineking,
USA Today,
21 July 2025
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Savory pork and briny tapenade slam against your palate, while a merciful scattering of greens doused with lemon juice softens the blow.—
Bradley Hohulin,
IndyStar,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
Her interests extend to topics such as human evolution, psychology, and quirky animal stories.—
Jenny Lehmann,
Discover Magazine,
18 July 2025
-
Now, with the evolution of secure software development solutions in the market, the tradeoff is no longer relevant, and embedding security into software development should no longer be an afterthought.—
Madhuri Sesha Sarma,
Forbes.com,
18 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Softening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softening. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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