| VERB | perception | soften | make (images or sounds) soft or softer |
|---|---|---|---|
| change | soften, dampen, damp, weaken, break | lessen in force or effect | |
| stative | soften, yield, relent | give in, as to influence or pressure | |
| contact | soften, cushion, buffer | protect from impact | |
| communication | soften, mince, moderate | make less severe or harsh / harsh / harsh / harsh / harsh / harsh | |
| change | soften | make soft or softer | |
| change | soften | become soft or softer |
| Sounds | saa'fahn; sao'fahn | |
|---|---|---|
| Rhymes | Aachen ... Zukerman: 2572 rhymes with ahn... | |
| Meaning | make (images or sounds) soft or softer. | |
|---|---|---|
| Pattern | Somebody ----s something; Something ----s somebody; Something ----s something | |
| Narrower | muffle, mute, dull, damp, dampen, tone down | deaden (a sound or noise) , especially by wrapping |
| Broader | change intensity | increase / increase or decrease in intensity |
| Opposite | sharpen | make (images or sounds) sharp or sharper / sharper |
| Spanish | suavizar | |
| Meaning | lessen in force or effect. | |
|---|---|---|
| Pattern | Something ----s; Somebody ----s something; Something ----s something | |
| Example | "soften a shock" | |
| Synonyms | dampen, damp, weaken, break | |
| Narrower | dampen, deaden, damp | make vague or obscure or make (an image) less visible |
| deafen | make soundproof | |
| Broader | deaden, blunt | make less lively, intense, or vigorous |
| Spanish | atenuar | |
| Catalan | atenuar | |
| Meaning | give in, as to influence or pressure. | |
|---|---|---|
| Pattern | Something ----s; Somebody ----s | |
| Model | Sam and Sue soften | |
| Synonyms | yield, relent | |
| Narrower | truckle | Yield to out of weakness |
| Opposite | stand, remain firm | hold one's ground |
| Spanish | acceder, ceder, rendirse | |
| Catalan | accedir, cedir | |
| Meaning | protect from impact. | |
|---|---|---|
| Pattern | Something ----s something | |
| Synonyms | cushion, buffer | |
| Broader | modify | make less severe or harsh or extreme / extreme |
| Spanish | amortiguar, paliar, suavizar | |
| Meaning | make less severe or harsh / harsh / harsh / harsh / harsh / harsh. | |
|---|---|---|
| Pattern | Somebody ----s something | |
| Synonyms | mince, moderate | |
| Broader | change, alter, modify | Cause to change |
| Meaning | make soft or softer. | |
|---|---|---|
| Pattern | Somebody ----s something; Something ----s somebody; Something ----s something | |
| Example | "This liquid will soften your laundry" | |
| Cause to | soften | Become soft or softer |
| Narrower | macerate | soften, usually by steeping in liquid / liquid, and cause to disintegrate as a result |
| mellow | soften, make mellow | |
| mollify | make less rigid or softer | |
| Broader | change, alter, modify | Cause to change |
| Opposite | harden, indurate | make hard or harder |
| Spanish | ablandar, dulcificar, enternecer, reblandecer, suavizar, temperar | |
| Catalan | ablanir, amorosir, assuavir, entendrir, estovar, reblanir, suavitzar, temperar | |
| Nouns | softener | a substance added to another to make it less hard |
| softening | the process of becoming softer | |
| Meaning | Become soft or softer. | |
|---|---|---|
| Pattern | Something ----s | |
| Example | "The bread will soften if you pour some liquid on it" | |
| Caused by | soften | make soft or softer |
| Narrower | macerate | Become soft or separate and disintegrate as a result of excessive soaking |
| mellow | make or grow (more) mellow | |
| Broader | change | Undergo a change |
| Opposite | harden, indurate | Become hard or harder |
| Spanish | ablandar, dulcificarse, dulcificar, enternecer, reblandecerse, reblandecer, suavizar | |
| Catalan | ablanir, amorosir, assuaujar, assuavir, endolcir, entendrir, estovar, reblanir, suavitzar | |
| Nouns | softening | the process of becoming softer |
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