soften
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
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
That kind of thought will soften your edges.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
He will attempt to civilize them, and they will soften him.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
“Hello, Mrs. Simkin,” said Malcolm, trying to swallow the cheese, and having to soften it with a sip of the stock-cube drink.
From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman
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
Instead of carving away tissue like LASIK, the method temporarily softens the cornea so it can be gently molded into a new shape.
From Science Daily ● May 28, 2026
“If Chinese demand softens, metals may lose their growth signal,” says eToro.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026
“When the housing market softens, and it has, condos usually go softer faster than single-family homes,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2026
She glances once at Metias’s body before she turns away—for a brief second, her face softens.
From "Legend" by Marie Lu
Both systems softened or withdrew their opposition as the bills got closer to passing, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 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
But once his older brother turned professional and the family recognised Itauma's exceptional natural talent, their stance softened.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
The Hong Kong insurer’s Chinese mainland visitor business growth softened on a high base, the analyst notes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
I softened my voice and pleaded, “Please, Papá, it means a lot to me.”
From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez
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
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
Government retail-sales data for July showed overall softening, and a widely watched measure of consumer confidence slipped in August as consumers fretted about future economic conditions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 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
His deep grief he kept to himself, and would not undermine it now with this softening hope: Bodger was dead; Luath almost certainly so; and his conviction was steady and unalterable.
From "The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford
