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
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of softened
Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Jan. 2026
Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 10 minutes.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
The biggest difference between a butter crock and a butter dish is that a butter crock uses water to seal off the bottom of the butter from oxygen, which helps keep it softened and fresh for longer than when in a butter dish exposed to air.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 18 Dec. 2025
Its low-slung silhouette and softened lines have a groovy ‘70s feel that’s not dated.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 1 Dec. 2025
Brush the turkey with the vegetable oil or rub with softened butter.
—Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 26 Nov. 2025
Across the album, delicate chimes, gritty shakers, and orchestral strings radiate like the softened glow of old music videos.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 17 Nov. 2025
The Steamer 30—a foldable bag created in the early 1900s to fit in the travel trunks of that era—has been reimagined with a more softened, contemporary structure.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 6 Nov. 2025
Amanda Stanfield, Southern Living, 8 Nov. 2025
But that’s also true of every Democrat who won on Tuesday — including Mamdani himself, who has softened some of his stances on policing including past calls to defund the NYPD and build no new jails.
—Samantha Riedel, Them., 6 Nov. 2025
Three extra years in wood has somehow softened the tannic sting that the younger bourbon brings to the palate instead of amplifying it.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 2 Nov. 2025
Following her victory on the show, Curry became critical of the program and Banks, though her opinion on the reality TV experience has softened over the years.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
While Takaichi appears to have softened her stance, this push to strengthen the yen is still at odds of with her plans for massive fiscal spending and a loose monetary policy.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2025
Light pink referenced standard awareness campaigns, but the deepening shades, culminating in black, confronted the audience with the harsh reality of metastatic disease, which is typically softened by glossy pink ribbons.
—Tabitha Britt, Flow Space, 30 Oct. 2025
How to Make Whipped Honey Butter In a small bowl combine 1/3 cup softened butter, 1/4 cup honey, and a pinch salt.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2025
The purification method the city is using for Phase One — called indirect potable reuse — softened that image somewhat by requiring the purified water to sit in a reservoir for months.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Tips for Making Cherry Cookies Decker’s recipe doesn’t call for softened butter, but allowing the butter to soften before beating it with the sugar (a process known as creaming) will lead to a lighter, fluffier texture.
—Verb
Add bell pepper, onion, scallions; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for softened
Adjective
-
New orders contracted for a fourth month and export bookings remained weak, based on the ISM data.—
-
Getting too little of either can lead to weak, brittle bones, and too much can also cause problems (like kidney stones or nausea).—
Verb
-
With some estimates putting wave heights as much as 35 feet, weakened hatch covers would have been vulnerable to such waves.—
-
The years of horrific violence have weakened Sudan, plunging its institutions into chaos and making its population more vulnerable and poorer.—
Adjective
-
The reality is that although Venezuela has vast reserves—about 17% of the entire planet’s oil is under Venezuelan soil—its production is feeble.—
-
The hottest quarterback right now is Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, who had his career-best day last week against the feeble Jets.—
Verb
-
If Miami goes that route, some of that debt can be alleviated by releasing Hill.—
-
The quality weather alleviated the hand-wringing about the rain during the buildup to kickoff.—
Adjective
-
The hardware is built for intimacy, pairing a soft exterior with full-body sensors that react to a user’s touch on its head or neck.—
-
So uncompromising as to turn hard heads into soft behinds.—
Verb
-
Starbucks has mitigated its risk in China by forming a joint venture with investment firm Boyu Capital.—
-
Crews also mitigated a small fuel leak from the aircraft after the crash, firefighters said.—
Adjective
-
Patricia Stone, disabled, spoke from her hospital bed in their living room.—
-
By October of that year, Do and other doctors working for Liberty began billing California’s Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund, a workers’ compensation fund for individuals already disabled or impaired at the time of a workplace injury, according to the plea agreement.—
Verb
-
To prevent over-drying, the formula is buffered with shea butter for moisture, while peppermint oil delivers a cooling, calming effect.—
-
The study of climate change refugia – places that are buffered from the worst effects of global warming – has grown rapidly in recent years.—
Cite this Entry
“Softened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softened. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share