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- pronunciation:
- saw
f
 n
- features:
- Word Combinations (verb), Word Parts
| part of speech: |
transitive verb & intransitive verb |
| inflections: |
softens, softening, softened |
| definition: |
to make or become soft or softer.
- synonyms:
- cushion, dim, lower, moderate, mollify, mute, relax, subdue, tone down
- antonyms:
- coarsen, harden, stiffen, toughen
- similar words:
- break, melt, tender
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| related words: |
allay, blunt, cushion, diffuse, digest, ease, loose, lower, mellow, mince, moderate, modulate, mollify, mute, pacify, pale, qualify, quell, relent, smooth, still, temper, thaw, warm, yield |
adverb + (v.)soften
gradually, occasionally, slightly, visibly
(v.)soften
+ adverb
about, bit, considerably, firmly, lightly, somewhat
(v.)soften
+ noun
accent,
beard,
blow,
chocolate,
clove,
confectioner,
cookie,
cooking,
crumb,
crust,
cup,
edge,
egg,
extract,
flour,
garlic,
gelatin,
grill,
harshness,
image,
impact,
juice,
landing,
leather,
liquid,
microwave,
milk,
minute,
mist,
opposition,
outline,
pity,
position,
pulp,
refrigerator,
rhetoric,
severity,
skin,
slice,
stance,
stool,
sugar,
sympathy,
tablespoon,
teaspoon,
temperature,
tension,
tone,
vanilla,
wrinkle
[See all][See only the most frequent]
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The word soften
contains the following part:
-en1
Old English
verb-forming suffix
that means to cause to be or become or have
  More about this word part:
The suffix -en1 forms verbs from monosyllabic English adjectives.
Example words:
awaken, bedizen, blacken, brighten, broaden, chasten, cheapen, coarsen, dampen, darken, deaden, deafen, deepen, enlighten, enliven, fatten, flatten, foreshorten, freshen, frighten, gladden, glisten, harden, hasten, hoarsen, lengthen, lessen, lighten, loosen, moisten, neaten, redden, richen, ripen, sharpen, shorten, soften, steepen, straighten, strengthen, tauten, tighten, weaken, whiten, widen
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