soften

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to make a sound, light, or a person's attitude less strong or unkind.

v. to moderate the intensity or severity of something, such as a light, a sound, or a person's emotional stance.

“He tried to soften his voice so he wouldn't wake the sleeping baby.”

“The government attempted to soften the impact of the new tax by introducing several exemptions for low-income families.”

C1 · Advanced Formal

v. to make someone less determined or less likely to fight back.

v. to weaken the morale or physical resistance of an opponent, often as a preliminary to a main attack or negotiation.

“The lawyers tried to soften up the witness with friendly questions before asking the difficult ones.”

“Heavy artillery was used to soften the enemy's defences before the infantry began their final advancement toward the city.”

C2 · Proficiency Science Technical

v. to change how a letter is pronounced so it sounds smoother.

v. to undergo lenition or palatalization; to change a consonant from a fortis to a lenis articulation.

“In some languages, the 'k' sound softens to a 'ch' sound over time.”

“The historical linguist explained how the intervocalic plosives began to soften, eventually leading to the distinct phonetic shifts observed in the daughter languages.”