Definition of "soften" in English

verb

1. (transitive) To make something soft or softer.

   • Soften the butter before beating in the sugar.

2. (transitive) To undermine the morale of someone (often soften up).

   • Before the invasion, we softened up the enemy with the artillery.

3. (transitive) To make less harsh.

   • Having second thoughts, I softened my criticism.

4. (intransitive) To become soft or softer.

   • The butter softened as it warmed up.

5. (ambitransitive, phonology) To become or make (a consonant) more lenis, to lenite.

6. (Slavic phonology) To palatalize.