1. Make (images or sounds) soft or softer 
2. Lessen in force or effect
   "soften a shock"
   - dampen, damp, weaken, break 
3. Give in, as to influence or pressure
   - yield, relent 
4. Protect from impact
   - cushion, buffer 
5. Make less severe or harsh
   - mince, moderate 
6. Make soft or softer
   "This liquid will soften your laundry" 
7. Become soft or softer
   "The bread will soften if you pour some liquid on it"

Derived forms: softens, softening, softened

See also: softener, softening

Type of: alter, blunt, change, change intensity, deaden, modify

Antonym: harden, sharpen

Encyclopedia: Soften

• ethics
• ethics committee
• ethics panel
• Ethiopia
• Ethiopian
• Ethiopian banana
• Ethiopian language
• Ethiopian monetary unit
• Ethiopic
• ethmoid
• ethmoid bone
• ethmoid sinus
• ethmoidal artery
• ethmoidal sinus
• ethmoidal vein
• ethnarch
• ethnic
• ethnic cleansing
• ethnic group
• ethnic joke
• ethnic minority
• ethnic music
• ethnic slur
• ethnical
• ethnically