soften

Sabalenka hoped to soften the blow of losing the top ranking by winning a third consecutive US Open title - but looked fraught in a tense performance.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

The fifth episode’s title, “Riches of Embarrassment,” is derived from a halftime rallying speech Ted delivers to soften the sting of Alice calling their first-half performance embarrassing.

From Salon ● Sep. 10, 2026

He will attempt to civilize them, and they will soften him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

Studies show that when you put all three together, he noted, the extremes tend to soften.

From Slate ● Aug. 26, 2026

He tried to soften his voice, but it came out more like a bark.

From "The Strangers" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Muenster is less assertive but more accommodating: its mild butteriness stands beside the sauce without competing, and it softens agreeably in summer warmth without becoming stringy or oily.

From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026

Buying equity stakes rather than owning depreciating fleets softens that, but the line between “demand layer” and “co-investor in hardware” thins with each deal.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 24, 2026

The additives lower the temperature at which the glass softens and make it flow more easily when heated, which could simplify manufacturing.

From Science Daily ● May 22, 2026

“If Chinese demand softens, metals may lose their growth signal,” says eToro.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026

When Mom doesn’t answer, Bernadette softens her voice.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

The yen’s U-turn continued Monday in Asia, with the currency strengthening to a more than six-month high against the dollar as the greenback softened in holiday-thinned trade.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026

Though spending power in the south of England is impacted by higher housing costs compared to the north, the hit to households on average is softened by higher incomes and the divide remains, researchers said.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

The passage of time hasn’t softened anyone’s read, and few people are rushing to publicly declare their love for the show in 2026.

From Salon ● Aug. 30, 2026

And though Fred had wanted his son to pursue an education, he softened his stance, supporting Freddie’s dream.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026

She looked back up at him, and her eyes softened.

From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley

Likewise, movement from strong disagreement towards ordinary disagreement may signal a softening of attitudes even when overall disagreement remains high.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 9, 2026

“These pressures, while generating earnings volatility, should help limit the scale of softening compared to that in previous cycles, as we believe a material unexpected loss event could trigger sharper repricing,” Fitch adds.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

If that softening trend continues in next week’s inflation data, there won’t be a need to hike rates, Waller said.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026

A.I.’s most famous people have habits of making big, bold assertions about the technology and then softening them over time.

From Slate ● Sep. 1, 2026

Have I forgotten the hell I traveled, or are these new memories a cushion softening its sharpness?

From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson