mildened

mildened — verb

  • mildenedpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • mildeneds3rd person singular
  • mildeneding-ing form
  • mildenededpast simple

1. to cause something to become less extreme, harsh, or intense — for example, maki

1.動詞及物C2
釋義

to cause something to become less extreme, harsh, or intense — for example, making spicy food milder by adding cream, or reducing the severity of a punishment.

例句

Henrik mildened the spicy curry by stirring in extra coconut cream.

milden + [strong flavour] + by + [method]

The judge mildened the teenager's sentence after considering the difficult family situation.

milden + [punishment]

同義詞
  • soften

    broader, used for physical texture, sound, or emotional tone; more everyday than mildened

  • temper

    suggests adding a counterbalancing quality to achieve balance, often in formal contexts

  • moderate

    focuses on bringing something to a reasonable level; common in policy or debate contexts

  • alleviate

    restricted to reducing pain, suffering, or difficulty; more specific than mildened

反義詞
  • intensify

    to make stronger or more extreme

  • sharpen

    to make more intense, especially flavour, sound, or criticism

文法句型

milden + noun phrase

用法筆記

The object is typically something negative or intense: spicy food, harsh criticism, severe punishment, extreme weather, or bad news.

常見錯誤

❌She mildened the sauce.' (too vague).
✅She mildened the spicy sauce with cream.
💡mention what quality is being made milder and often how.
❌He mildened his voice.' (unnatural collocation).
✅He mildened his criticism with praise.
💡the word pairs naturally with strong qualities or effects, not with neutral things like voice or colour.

2. to become less severe, harsh, or strong in nature or degree — used of weather co

2.動詞不及物C2
釋義

to become less severe, harsh, or strong in nature or degree — used of weather conditions, attitudes, expressions, or physical sensations.

例句

As the storm moved out to sea, the wind mildened and the sky cleared.

subject refers to weather: wind/storm + mildens

Mira's expression mildened when she heard the full story from her friend.

subject refers to facial expression: expression/look + mildens

同義詞
  • ease up

    informal phrasal verb; used for weather or pressure

  • abate

    more formal; used for storms, pain, or negative feelings

  • relent

    suggests someone stops being strict or harsh, often after resistance

  • soften

    broader and more common; can describe physical texture or emotional response

反義詞
  • intensify

    to become stronger or more extreme

  • worsen

    to become more severe or unpleasant

  • harden

    to become more fixed or unyielding, especially attitudes

文法句型

noun phrase + mildens

用法筆記

Common subjects include weather (wind, heat, cold), emotional states (anger, hostility), facial expressions, and attitudes. The change is usually gradual rather than sudden.

常見錯誤

❌He mildened when she apologised.' (no clear context).
✅His tone mildened when she apologised.
💡specify which aspect of the person became milder.