SOFTENING Synonyms: 169 Similar and Opposite Words

softening 1 of 3

adjective

as in emollient

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

softening

2 of 3

noun

as in mellowing

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

softening

3 of 3

verb

present participle of soften

as in weakening

to diminish the physical strength of three weeks of being sick in bed had noticeably softened her

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 softening

Noun

Then over the weekend, Lille struck a deal for Dutch side Feyenoord’s striker Ayase Ueda, which led to a softening of their stance regarding Fernandez-Pardo’s availability. — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026 The legendary treatment may just be as famous as Oprah herself for its ultra-hydrating, softening, lifting, and glow-boosting effect. — Alyssa Morin, InStyle, 2 Aug. 2026 There is no imperative on their part to do anything with rates immediately, and the softening in the pace of job growth suggests that rate hikes are very unlikely to be necessary this year. — Jeff Cox, CNBC, 2 July 2026 These colors draw inspiration from the natural softening of hues often associated with beachy, coastal towns. — Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 July 2026 Sure enough, since Lalas returned from Seattle, there seems to have been a softening. — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 28 June 2026 Washing, softening, drying, and stabilizing all demand significant water, energy, heat, and chemicals. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 25 June 2026 One seasoning avenue is marinating meats, an age-old softening and flavoring technique that still works like magic. — Randi Gollin, Martha Stewart, 16 June 2026 Its softening of formality, without losing out on service or gastronomy. — Lela London, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026

Verb

On that topic of change, McIlroy began softening his stance about LIV players returning to the PGA Tour months ago. — Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026 The milestone arrives at a precarious time for Australia’s festival sector, which has seen a wave of cancellations and closures in recent years amid rising costs and softening ticket sales. — Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2026 Saint Laurent sales sank 9 percent in 2024, then another 6 percent last year, amid softening demand in Asia and a cooling attitude toward Vaccarello’s rock ’n’ roll aesthetic and metallic fabrics. — Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026 These Best of Beauty-winning formulas strike the perfect balance between lip care and lip color, providing both softening and exfoliating benefits and a punch of color. — Catharine Malzahn, Allure, 12 Oct. 2026 In the late 1970s, Giorgio Armani stripped the structure out of the traditional suit, softening its shoulders and loosening its trousers. — John Vorwald, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2026 Even with used vehicle prices softening slightly, high borrowing costs keep monthly payments out of reach for many prospective buyers. — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026 The peptide and ceramide complex also doubles down on hydration while plumping the skin and softening the appearance of fine lines around the eyes. — Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 7 Oct. 2026 Korean eye creams are best known for softening the appearance of fine lines and discoloration. — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 6 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for softening

Adjective

Meanwhile, emollient vitamin E and softening jojoba seed oil condition your natural nails, leaving them (and the skin around them) feeling softer and more hydrated.

— Sarah Felbin, Allure, 30 Apr. 2026
The formula is infused with emollient fatty acids to help support the skin’s moisture barrier, while its semi-sheer finish ensures a soft glow—far from the heavy-handed bronzer looks of the mid-2010s.

— Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2025

Definition of emollient

Noun

The overall mellowing of the forecast comes as the extent of coastal damage remains less than what some officials feared.

— Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Knobel uses Tennessee charcoal mellowing and hand‑toasted barrels to refine classic comfort flavors of Tennessee whiskey.

— Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026

Definition of mellowing

Verb

Mortgage demand continues to drop sharply, as buyers face higher prices and weakening affordability.

— Diana Olick, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026
The upper-level trough over the western United States will gradually advance eastward, weakening the influence of the ridge that has kept us hot and relatively dry.

— Michael Autovino, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of weakening

Verb

These turnovers also set up touchdowns, alleviating the pent-up stress of the first half.

— Alec Lewis, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Fostering gives cats a temporary home on the way to adoption, alleviating stress on shelters and, in some instances, saving cats’ lives.

— Emily Tarinelli, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of alleviating

Adjective

Some parents may be more lenient than others on the candy indulgence, but Arnaout says setting limits is important to avoid children getting stomach aches or nausea.

— Lina Ruiz October 9, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026
Earlier this year, the CFTC decided to scale back enforcement and shift to a more lenient voluntary self-reporting approach.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of lenient

Noun

The shorter serviceberry, sweet crabapple and flowering dogwoods are strong choices for small yards.

— Karen Hugg, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2026
For all its flowering of original thought and creativity, the Renaissance was ultimately a time of patronage, and the patrons both held the power and used it to enrich their own palaces and places of worship.

— Christopher Koopman, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of flowering

Verb

Acknowledging the concerns, Warui noted that Dangote Refinery’s revenues were dollarized and that dividends could also be paid in dollars, mitigating the potential impact of naira devaluation.

— semafor.com, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2026
The judge also weighed mitigating factors, including that Molloy was experiencing difficult personal circumstances, stopped of his own volition and had shown genuine remorse.

— Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of mitigating

Adjective

In this sense, there is a distinct possibility the spear wound was a final, merciful act by someone close to them.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2026
The merciful conclusion of this horrific season officially ends the Mike Krukow era in the Giants broadcast booth.

— Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of merciful

Browse Nearby Words

softeners

softening

softens

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Softening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softening. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of softening

adjective

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

jilt

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes