English Lexicon

Softening

/ˈsɒf.ən.ɪŋ/
nounCEFR B2 (Upper)Top #1500 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    The process of making something softer or less severe.

    "The softening of the butter made it easier to spread on the bread."
  2. 2

    A reduction in intensity or harshness.

    "The softening of her tone indicated that she was no longer angry."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The word 'softening' originates from the Old English 'softe', meaning 'gentle or mild', combined with the suffix '-en', which indicates a process or action. The term has evolved over centuries to denote the act of making something less hard or severe.

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