soften

/ˈsɒfn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsɔːfn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsȯ-fən/ (ame, mw)

soften — verb

1. to become less firm and more pliable when pressed, or to cause something to chan

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

to become less firm and more pliable when pressed, or to cause something to change from a hard or stiff state into this condition

例句

The butter softened quickly in the warm kitchen near the window.

intransitive: substance becomes soft on its own

Gabriel used a special cream to soften the leather of his hiking boots.

transitive: make a material soft by treating it

同義詞
  • melt

    implies turning from solid to liquid by heat, not just becoming softer

  • loosen

    suggests making something less tight rather than less firm

  • tenderize

    specifically for making meat softer by pounding or marinating

反義詞

文法句型

soften + noun (make something soft)

noun + soften (become soft without object)

用法筆記

This is the only sense of 'soften' that refers to a literal, physical change in texture or consistency. Frequently used with the preposition 'in' (soften in water, soften in heat).

常見錯誤

❌I used conditioner to soft my hair.
✅I used conditioner to soften my hair.
💡'soft' is an adjective; the verb form is 'soften'.
❌The ice cream soft in the sun.
✅The ice cream softened in the sun.
💡the past tense is 'softened', not 'soft'.

2. to become less strict, severe, or critical in your attitude or behaviour toward

2.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to become less strict, severe, or critical in your attitude or behaviour toward someone, or to cause someone else to feel or act this way

例句

Eshe's expression softened when she saw the shivering puppy on the porch.

intransitive: face/expression shows less severity

The team leader softened the deadline after several staff members fell ill.

transitive: make a rule or requirement less strict

同義詞
  • relent

    more formal; suggests giving in after being unwilling

  • mellow

    suggests becoming calmer or more relaxed over time

  • ease up

    informal phrasal verb for being less strict

反義詞
  • harden

    to become less sympathetic or more strict

文法句型

soften + towards + noun (become less strict with someone)

soften + noun (make someone's attitude gentler)

用法筆記

Commonly used with 'towards' or 'with' to indicate the person affected: 'soften towards someone'. Also frequent with emotion nouns: soften one's heart, soften one's stance.

常見錯誤

❌He softens his voice when talking to babies' (should use sense 3 for sounds).
✅He softened his tone when talking to the frightened child.
💡'tone' (way of speaking) belongs here; 'voice' (sound quality) belongs to sense 3.

3. to change so that a light, sound, or image becomes less bright, harsh, loud, or

3.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to change so that a light, sound, or image becomes less bright, harsh, loud, or intense, or to cause this effect deliberately, making the result feel more comfortable or pleasant

例句

Apinya pulled the curtains closed to soften the harsh afternoon sunlight.

transitive: soften light with a physical barrier

Thick woollen rugs in the hall soften the sound of footsteps on the floor.

transitive: soften sound with materials

同義詞
  • dim

    specific to reducing light; does not apply to sound

  • muffle

    specific to reducing sound; slightly different method (blocking vs reducing intensity)

  • subdue

    more formal; can apply to colours, lights, and sounds

反義詞

文法句型

soften + noun (light/sound/image)

soften (become less bright/loud without object)

用法筆記

Unlike sense 2 (attitude), this sense applies only to sensory input — what you see, hear, or perceive visually. 'Soften the lighting' and 'soften the music' are the most common collocations.

4. to reduce the unpleasant effect, shock, or damage of something negative, so it i

4.動詞及物B2
釋義

to reduce the unpleasant effect, shock, or damage of something negative, so it is easier to deal with or accept

例句

A thick foam mat under the climbing frame softened the children's falls.

literal: physical impact

The manager offered a bonus to soften the announcement of the pay freeze.

metaphorical: soften bad news with a compensation

同義詞
  • cushion

    more physical; suggests a buffer between something and its target

  • mitigate

    formal; used for negative effects or harm

  • buffer

    suggests an intermediate layer that absorbs shock

反義詞

文法句型

soften + noun (the blow/impact/news/effect)

用法筆記

The fixed phrase 'soften the blow' is by far the most frequent pattern. The blow can be literal (a physical strike) or metaphorical (bad news, failure, job loss). This sense is always transitive.

常見錯誤

❌The pillow softens my head when I sleep.' (unusual — this sense is for negative impacts).
✅The pillow softened the impact when I hit my head on the headboard.
💡the focus should be on a negative event being reduced.

5. to weaken the strength, determination, or ability of someone or something to res

5.動詞及物 / 不及物C1
釋義

to weaken the strength, determination, or ability of someone or something to resist an attack, an argument, or pressure

例句

The artillery bombardment was designed to soften the enemy defences before the assault.

military: soften defences/before an attack

Ignacio sent several friendly emails to soften the client before presenting his proposal.

sales/negotiation: soften someone up before asking

同義詞
  • weaken

    broader; less specific about the method of reducing resistance

  • undermine

    suggests gradual erosion of strength from below

  • cripple

    stronger; implies severe damage to the ability to resist

反義詞
  • strengthen

    to make resistance or defences stronger

  • fortify

    to add defences or reinforcement

文法句型

soften + noun (resistance/defence/market)

soften up + noun

用法筆記

The phrasal verb 'soften up' is common in informal and military contexts, meaning to weaken someone's resistance through preparation. In business, 'soften the market' means to make conditions more favourable before launching something.

常見錯誤

❌He softened his voice to resist the guard.' (confuses sense 3 with sense 5).
✅He tried to soften the guard's resistance with a bribe.
💡this sense targets someone's ability to resist, not the volume of their voice.