soften
Verb
Meaning
To make soft or more soft.
To render less hard; -- said of matter.
To mollify; to make less fierce or intractable.
To palliate; to represent as less enormous; as, to soften a fault.
To compose; to mitigate; to assuage.
To make less harsh, less rude, less offensive, or less violent, or to render of an opposite quality.
To make less glaring; to tone down; as, to soften the coloring of a picture.
To make tender; to make effeminate; to enervate; as, troops softened by luxury.
To make less harsh or grating, or of a quality the opposite; as, to soften the voice.
To become soft or softened, or less rude, harsh, severe, or obdurate.
Source: Webster's dictionarySynonyms
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Examples
soften a shock
break a fall
cushion the blow
He moderated his tone when the students burst out in tears
The bread will soften if you pour some liquid on it
This liquid will soften your laundry