# soft

/ˈsɑft/ (US) · /sˈɒft/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/soft
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. easy to press

adjective · CEFR A1

easy to press or shape; not hard or firm.

For teachers: yielding readily to touch or pressure; lacking structural rigidity.

- The bed was so soft that I fell asleep almost immediately.
- The sculptor preferred working with soft clay because it allowed for rapid adjustments before the final firing process.

### 2. smooth texture

adjective · CEFR A2

smooth and pleasant to touch; not rough.

For teachers: having a smooth surface or texture that is pleasing to the senses; lacking coarseness.

- The cat has very soft fur behind its ears.
- She chose a soft cashmere scarf to protect her skin from the biting winter wind.

### 3. quiet sound

adjective · CEFR A2

quiet and not loud.

For teachers: low in volume or intensity; not harsh or jarring to the ear.

- They spoke in soft voices so they wouldn't wake the baby.
- The soft hum of the air conditioner provided a consistent background noise that helped him concentrate on his writing.

### 4. gentle or kind

adjective · CEFR B1

gentle, kind, or not strict with people.

For teachers: characterised by gentleness, compassion, or a lack of severity in discipline.

- The teacher was quite soft on the students when they forgot their homework.
- Critics argued that the judge was too soft on repeat offenders, claiming the light sentences failed to deter future crime.

### 5. low light/colour

adjective · CEFR B1

not bright or shining too strongly; easy on the eyes.

For teachers: having low luminance or saturation; diffuse and lacking harsh shadows or highlights.

- The restaurant had soft lighting that made the room feel cozy.
- Photographers prefer the soft light of the 'golden hour' just before sunset to avoid the high-contrast shadows of midday.

### 6. water quality

adjective · CEFR B2 · Technical

water that does not have many minerals like calcium in it.

For teachers: describing water that is relatively free from dissolved mineral salts, especially calcium and magnesium.

- It is much easier to get soap bubbles in soft water than in hard water.
- The installation of a water softener was necessary because the local supply was too hard for the industrial boilers to process efficiently.

### 7. software-based

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

something that is done by a computer program rather than a physical machine.

For teachers: emulated or controlled by software rather than being a permanent hardware feature.

- The tablet uses a soft keyboard that appears on the screen when you need to type.
- The system performs a soft reset to clear the temporary cache without cutting power to the hardware components.

### 8. weak or foolish

adjective · CEFR B2 · British English · Informal

weak in character or a bit silly.

For teachers: lacking mental toughness or showing a lack of intelligence; often used to describe someone easily fooled.

- Don't be so soft; you can't believe everything you read on the internet.
- He was often mocked for being soft in the head, though his friends knew he was simply more trusting than most.

### 9. non-alcoholic

adjective · CEFR A2

used to describe drinks that do not contain alcohol.

For teachers: denoting beverages that are non-alcoholic, typically carbonated and sweetened.

- We served soft drinks like cola and lemonade at the children's party.
- The bar offers an extensive selection of soft options for patrons who are acting as designated drivers for the evening.

### 10. a non-alcoholic drink

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a drink that does not have alcohol in it.

For teachers: a non-alcoholic beverage; a shortened form of 'soft drink'.

- I'll just have a soft, please—I'm driving tonight.
- The vending machine was stocked entirely with various softs and bottled waters to comply with the school's new health policy.

## Examples

- This blanket feels very soft.
- He spoke in a soft voice so he would not wake the sleeping baby.
- The morning light cast a soft glow over the landscape, blurring the sharp edges of the distant mountains.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.