Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun softening
1 sense of softening
Sense 1
softening -- (the process of becoming softer; "refrigeration delayed the softening of the fruit"; "he observed the softening of iron by heat")
=> natural process, natural action, action, activity -- (a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings); "the action of natural forces"; "volcanic activity")
Antonyms of verb soften
3 of 7 senses of soften
Sense 1
soften -- (make (images or sounds) soft or softer)
Antonym of sharpen (Sense 5)
=> sharpen -- (make (images or sounds) sharp or sharper)
Sense 6
soften -- (make soft or softer; "This liquid will soften your laundry")
Antonym of harden (Sense 2)
=> harden, indurate -- (make hard or harder; "The cold hardened the butter")
Sense 7
soften -- (become soft or softer; "The bread will soften if you pour some liquid on it")
Antonym of harden (Sense 1)
=> harden, indurate -- (become hard or harder; "The wax hardened")
Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb soften
7 senses of soften
Sense 1
soften -- (make (images or sounds) soft or softer)
=> change intensity -- (increase or decrease in intensity)
Sense 2
dampen, damp, soften, weaken, break -- (lessen in force or effect; "soften a shock"; "break a fall")
=> deaden, blunt -- (make less lively, intense, or vigorous; impair in vigor, force, activity, or sensation; "Terror blunted her feelings"; "deaden a sound")
Sense 3
yield, relent, soften -- (give in, as to influence or pressure)
Sense 4
cushion, buffer, soften -- (protect from impact; "cushion the blow")
=> modify -- (make less severe or harsh or extreme; "please modify this letter to make it more polite"; "he modified his views on same-gender marriage")
Sense 5
mince, soften, moderate -- (make less severe or harsh; "He moderated his tone when the students burst out in tears")
=> change, alter, modify -- (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue")
Sense 6
soften -- (make soft or softer; "This liquid will soften your laundry")
=> change, alter, modify -- (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue")
Sense 7
soften -- (become soft or softer; "The bread will soften if you pour some liquid on it")
=> change -- (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature; "She changed completely as she grew older"; "The weather changed last night")
Antonyms of adj softening
1 sense of softening
Sense 1
demulcent, emollient, salving, softening -- (having a softening or soothing effect especially to the skin)
INDIRECT (VIA soft) -> hard -- (resisting weight or pressure)
Similarity of adj softening
1 sense of softening
Sense 1
demulcent, emollient, salving, softening -- (having a softening or soothing effect especially to the skin)
=> soft (vs. hard) -- (yielding readily to pressure or weight)