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
Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
McDermott has softened on those decisions recently.
—Joe Buscaglia, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
Add garlic, celery, and onion to pan; cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
—Ann Taylor Pittman, Southern Living, 26 Dec. 2024
However, Carter has since softened her stance on the patches.
—Lydia Patrick, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
The signature Beam nutty grain flavor is present, but it’s softened with layers of milk and dark chocolate, espresso bean, dulce de leche, fig, and a backbone of smoky oak.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 23 Dec. 2024
Add mushrooms, zucchini, onion, bell pepper, Italian seasoning, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes.
—Amanda Holstein, Southern Living, 22 Dec. 2024
Simmer 5 to 7 minutes until apricots are softened.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Dec. 2024
Add the peppers and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until the peppers are softened, about 10 minutes.
—Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
While the emphasis on ESG has softened, the focus on sustainable, scalable growth remains a guiding principle.
—Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
McDermott has softened on those decisions recently.
—Joe Buscaglia, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
Add garlic, celery, and onion to pan; cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
—Ann Taylor Pittman, Southern Living, 26 Dec. 2024
However, Carter has since softened her stance on the patches.
—Lydia Patrick, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
The signature Beam nutty grain flavor is present, but it’s softened with layers of milk and dark chocolate, espresso bean, dulce de leche, fig, and a backbone of smoky oak.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 23 Dec. 2024
Add mushrooms, zucchini, onion, bell pepper, Italian seasoning, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes.
—Amanda Holstein, Southern Living, 22 Dec. 2024
Simmer 5 to 7 minutes until apricots are softened.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Dec. 2024
Add the peppers and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until the peppers are softened, about 10 minutes.
—Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 20 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for softened
Adjective
-
Many offensive cyber firms set up shop in countries with weak regulations, providing hacking tools and services to buyers worldwide.—
Emil Sayegh,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
-
As the market sell-off gains steam, a handful of quality stocks could outperform and buck the broader weak trend for equities, according to Bernstein.—
Brian Evans,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Those at high-risk for listeria infection are newborns, those who are pregnant, have weakened immune systems, and those aged 65 or older.—
Mike Snider,
USA TODAY,
3 Jan. 2025
-
But the militants, while greatly weakened, have repeatedly regrouped, often after Israeli forces withdraw from areas.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Francis' feeble voice, discernible through his labored breaths and in his native Spanish, was recorded Thursday from the hospital and broadcast to the faithful in St. Peter's Square who had gathered for the nightly recitation of the rosary prayer.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
7 Mar. 2025
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When experienced all at once, these features can further shake an emerging adult’s already feeble sense of stability.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
23 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Downside momentum has alleviated from an intermediate-term perspective, evident in the weekly MACD histogram.—
Katie Stockton,
CNBC,
6 Jan. 2025
-
The Kings haven’t exactly alleviated Kopitar of shutdown minutes duty, making this offensive explosion all the more impressive.—
Shayna Goldman,
The Athletic,
31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
If you’re torn between medium-firm and soft, the warranty is 10 years, and the return period is 90 days, or 365 if the mattress is unused and unopened.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
10 Mar. 2025
-
However, its soft full-year fiscal 2026 guidance caused the stock to pull back.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
10 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Better yet, these risks are mitigated without the company having to invest in detection technologies upfront.—
Danny Jenkins,
Forbes,
19 Dec. 2024
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There's general agreement that harms like bias should be mitigated, but disagreements emerge on how exactly to do that.—
Maria Curi,
Axios,
17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Several groups, including those advocating for military veterans, the elderly and disabled people, have intervened in that case and requested that a larger panel of judges from the 5th Circuit reconsider the decision.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Mar. 2025
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The move could jeopardize public access to benefits for millions of elderly and disabled Americans who rely on the SSA's phone service to submit claims and make transactions.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
12 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Softened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softened. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
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