softening 1 of 3

softening

2 of 3

noun

softening

3 of 3

verb

present participle of soften

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of softening
Verb
Manufacturing and services sector surveys have pointed to slower hiring, while Fed Chair Jerome Powell earlier this week characterized the labor market as solid but softening. Jeff Cox, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2024 Instead, bearish sentiment swept the market in September as investors increasingly fear a surplus next year due to softening demand in China and increased production from OPEC+. Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2024 This viral lip product infuses lips with shea butter and other nourishing ingredients, quickly smoothing and softening the base while enhancing the natural color. Hannah Rice, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2024 Next, as the cheese reaches the temperature of water from a hot tap, the proteins within it start losing water, shrinking and softening. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2024 With a final sale price of $241,000, this Darth Vader spec GT3 hasn’t exactly quelled the hopes that modern GT3 prices are softening—and even with its low 2,600 miles, this Jet Black Metallic over Black Leather is a relatively tame and standard specification. Christian Gilbertsen, Robb Report, 1 Oct. 2024 Officials are paying more attention to the softening job market with less focus on the price pressures that have been top of mind since 2022. Courtenay Brown, Axios, 30 Sep. 2024 Alliances and partnerships represent the United States’ strongest card in Asia, which is why Beijing has been targeting allies such as Australia and South Korea with economic boycotts as a means of softening political support for working with the United States to balance Chinese power. Michael J. Green, Foreign Affairs, 15 Feb. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for softening
Adjective
  • Thicker consistencies create an emollient barrier on top of the skin, trapping in the heat and exacerbating the inflammation.
    BestReviews, The Mercury News, 30 Aug. 2024
  • Without subjecting you to a chemistry lesson, humectant ingredients must be teamed with emollient ingredients to make an effective lip balm.
    Jacqueline Kilikita, refinery29.com, 2 Feb. 2024
Verb
  • China has struggled with looming deflationary pressures due to a prolonged real estate downturn and weakening domestic consumer confidence.
    Anniek Bao,Sonia Heng, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2024
  • Those job losses, coupled with an ongoing Boeing strike and the effects of Hurricane Helene, could massively distort the October jobs report (released on November 1) at a time when the Fed is heavily scrutinizing employment data for signs of a weakening labor market, economists tell CNN.
    Alexandra Banner, CNN, 2 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Another approach to alleviating the potential of burnout is to create a positive workplace.
    Wayne Elsey, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
  • Como Ball also hopes to implement baseball camps during the day next year to provide more opportunities to kids in the area while also alleviating the stress of finding child care for parents, Klinge said.
    Maddie Robinson, Twin Cities, 20 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • Burd-Sharps also notes these deaths happen predominantly in Southern states with more lenient gun laws.
    Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 20 Nov. 2024
  • Trump is seen as being more lenient on regulatory issues, which would be a boon to Apple and its Big Tech brethren.
    Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Spring flowering trees and shrubs (azaleas, dogwoods, forsythia, oakleaf hydrangeas) should be pruned shortly after flowering is over.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2024
  • Regular repotting promotes flowering and strong growth while supporting a decades-long life—some Christmas cactuses are passed down through generations!
    Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Discrete levels are filled with an array of obstacles and enemies, some of which culminate in gigantic bosses whose easygoing challenge offers a merciful break from the likes of Elden Ring.
    Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2024
  • Some are kept affordable by other government subsidies, by merciful landlords or by states, including California, Colorado and New York, that have worked to keep them low-cost by relying on several levers.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 6 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • However, while this evolution has naturally made the profession more efficient, some believe that these platforms have started to sacrifice quality in the name of convenience.
    William Mullane, USA TODAY, 28 Nov. 2024
  • Don’t shy away from the hard times in your company’s evolution; that makes a story powerful and authentic.
    George Baker Sr., Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • The Secret Service is mitigating that threat with stage enhancements, rows of farm vehicles parked around the rally site and bulletproof glass, according to the sources.
    Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 4 Oct. 2024
  • However, there are other ways of mitigating that.
    Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near softening

Cite this Entry

“Softening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softening. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on softening

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!