soft
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: enpr: sŏft
ipa: /sɒft/
ipa: /sɔːft/
enpr: sôft
ipa: /sɔft/
ipa: /sɑft/
enpr: sŏft
enpr: săft
ipa: /sæft/
rhymes: -ɒft
Forms: form: softer
form: softest
Etymology: From Middle English softe, from Old English sōfte, alteration of earlier sēfte (“soft”), from Proto-West Germanic *samft(ī) (“level, even, smooth, soft, gentle”) (compare *sōmiz (“agreeable, fitting”)), from Proto-Indo-European *semptio-, *semtio-, from *sem- (“one, whole”). Cognate with West Frisian sêft (“gentle; soft”), Dutch zacht (“soft”), German Low German sacht (“soft”), German sanft (“soft, yielding”), Old Norse sœmr (“agreeable, fitting”), samr (“same”). More at seem, same.
Senses: examples: text: My head sank easily into the soft pillow.
text: My favorite Greek cheese is the creamy, sheepy manouri: delicately scented and almost spreadable, it’s like a softer, pudgier feta.
ref: 2007 September 9, Sara Dickerman, “Olympic Dinners”, in New York Times:
text: […] Category Two implement hitches and doubled high-traction agricultural tires hung four to each massive rear axle to breast the steepest, softest dune or guckiest swamp […]
ref: 2010, Robert Beeman, No More Time for Sorrow, page 133:
glosses: Easily giving way under pressure.
examples: text: Polish the silver with a soft cloth to avoid scratching.
text: soft silk; a soft skin
text: They that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 11:8:
glosses: Smooth and flexible; not rough, rugged, or harsh.
raw_tags: of cloth or similar material
examples: text: I could hear the soft rustle of the leaves in the trees.
text: Her voice was ever soft, / Gentle, and low, — an excellent thing in woman.
ref: c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii]:
glosses: Quiet.
raw_tags: of a sound
examples: text: There was a soft breeze blowing.
text: I would to God my heart were flint, like Edward's; / Or Edward's soft and pitiful, like mine.
ref: c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:
text: The meek or soft shall inherit the earth.
ref: c. 1533, William Tyndale, An exposicion upon of Mathew:
glosses: Gentle.
examples: text: soft eyes
text: A soft answer turneth away wrath.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 15:1:
text: A face with gladness overspread, / Soft smiles, by human kindness bred.
ref: 1815, William Wordsworth, To a Highland Girl:
glosses: Expressing gentleness or tenderness; mild; conciliatory; courteous; kind.
examples: text: On her soft axle, white she paces even, / And bears thee soft with the smooth air along.
ref: 1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
glosses: Gentle in action or motion; easy.
examples: text: The deceiver soon found this soft place of Adam's.
ref: 1665, Joseph Glanvill, Scepsis Scientifica: Or, Confest Ignorance, the Way to Science; […], London: […] E. C[otes] for Henry Eversden […], →OCLC:
glosses: Weak in character; impressible.
examples: text: Before that they had been a good deal on the move, trekking about after the white man, who was one of those rolling stones that keep going round after a soft job.
ref: 1892, Robert Louis Stevenson, The Beach of Falesá:
glosses: Requiring little or no effort; easy.
examples: soft lighting
glosses: Not bright or intense.
examples: text: At the intersection with two roads going left, take the soft left.
text: It's important to dance on soft knees to avoid injury.
glosses: Having a slight angle from straight.
examples: text: DH represents the voiced (soft) th of English these clothes.
ref: 1954, J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings:
topics: human-sciences
linguistics
phonetics
phonology
sciences
glosses: Voiced; sonant; lenis.
topics: human-sciences
linguistics
phonetics
phonology
sciences
glosses: Voiceless.
topics: human-sciences
linguistics
phonology
sciences
qualifier: Slavic
glosses: Palatalized.
examples: text: He’s too soft for the ruthless world of finance.
glosses: Excessively empathetic or concerned about others’ wellbeing.
examples: text: When it comes to drinking, he is as soft as they come.
text: ‘Going soft on me, Jack?’ ‘You know I’m not.’ ‘Then why all the fuss and blow?’
ref: 1932, Delos W. Lovelace, King Kong, published 1965, page 31:
text: Warden Kuril: Every day I see the worst sapient life has to offer. Governments are soft, unwilling to make the hard choices.
Warden Kuril: Someone had to stand up and make the galaxy safe.
ref: 2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Prison Ship Purgatory:
glosses: Lacking strength or resolve; not tough, wimpy.
examples: text: You won't need as much soap, as the water here is very soft.
glosses: Low in dissolved calcium compounds.
raw_tags: of water
examples: text: He made soft fellows stark noddies, and such as were foolish quite mad.
ref: 1621, Robert Burton, The Essential Anatomy of Melancholy:
glosses: Foolish.
topics: natural-sciences
physical-sciences
physics
glosses: Of a ferromagnetic material; a material that becomes essentially non-magnetic when an external magnetic field is removed, a material with a low magnetic coercivity. (compare hard)
examples: see: snowflake and softie
glosses: Physically or emotionally weak.
raw_tags: of a person
examples: text: A longing after sensual pleasures is a dissolution of the spirit of a man, and makes it loose, soft, and wandering.
ref: 1650, Jeremy Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living:
glosses: Effeminate.
raw_tags: of a man
examples: text: a soft liniment
text: soft wines
text: the soft, delicious air
ref: 1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
glosses: Agreeable to the senses.
examples: text: soft colours
text: the soft outline of the snow-covered hill
text: The sun, shining upon the upper part of the clouds […] made the softest lights imaginable.
ref: 1673, Edward Browne, A Brief Account of some Travels in Hungaria, Styria, Bulgaria, Thessaly, Austria, Serbia, Carynthia, Carniola, and Friuli:
glosses: Not harsh or offensive to the sight; not glaring or jagged; pleasing to the eye.
topics: arts
hobbies
lifestyle
photography
glosses: Made up of nonparallel rays, tending to wrap around a subject and produce diffuse shadows.
raw_tags: of light
examples: text: The admin imposed a soft ban on the user.
text: Messages removed by soft deletion can be recovered if necessary.
glosses: Incomplete, or temporary; not a full action.
examples: text: Press the red button on the soft phone to hang up.
topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
sciences
glosses: Emulated with software; not physically real.
glosses: Not likely to cause addiction.
raw_tags: of a drug
glosses: Not containing alcohol.
raw_tags: of a drink
examples: soft on crime
synonyms: easy
antonyms: hard
glosses: Easy-going, lenient, not strict; permissive.
examples: text: Overall the rental market is soft and multifamily permit activity is almost nonexistent.
ref: 1995, U.S. Housing Market Conditions, page 45:
topics: business
finance
antonyms: hard
glosses: Of a market: having more supply than demand; being a buyer's market.
glosses: Softcore
raw_tags: of pornography
examples: soft humiliation play
soft raceplay
soft vore
synonyms: light
glosses: Mild, tame, moderate; far from intense or excluding harsh elements.
raw_tags: of kinks or sexual activity
glosses: Of paper: unsized.
glosses: Of silk: having the natural gum cleaned or washed off.
glosses: Of coal: bituminous, as opposed to anthracitic.
glosses: Of weather: warm enough to melt ice; thawing.
glosses: Attracted to or emotionally involved with someone.
raw_tags: followed by on
Synonyms: sense: of a cloth
word: non-abrasive
sense: of a cloth
word: fluffy
sense: gentle
word: gentle
sense: gentle
word: light
sense: gentle
word: nesh
sense: of a sound
word: quiet
sense: lacking strength or resolve
word: meek
sense: lacking strength or resolve
word: mild
sense: lacking strength or resolve
word: wimpy
sense: lacking strength or resolve
word: nesh
sense: foolish
word: daft
sense: foolish
word: foolish
sense: foolish
word: silly
sense: foolish
word: stupid
word: cushiony
word: flabby
word: flaccid
word: flexible
word: soft
word: spongy
word: mellow
word: malleable
word: moldable
word: pliable
word: tender
word: yielding
word: zate
Hyponyms: word: doughy
word: downy
word: flocculent
word: foamy
word: spumescent
Derived terms: sense: single words
word: airsoft
sense: single words
word: failsoft
sense: single words
word: hypersoft
sense: single words
word: mallsoft
sense: single words
word: nonsoft
sense: single words
word: oversoft
sense: single words
word: semisoft
sense: single words
word: Softail
sense: single words
word: softback
sense: single words
word: softbacked
sense: single words
word: softball
sense: single words
word: softbill
sense: single words
word: softboard
sense: single words
word: softbottom
sense: single words
word: softbound
sense: single words
word: softbox
sense: single words
word: softboy
sense: single words
word: softcoat
sense: single words
word: softcode
sense: single words
word: softcover
sense: single words
word: softcovered
sense: single words
word: soften
sense: single words
word: softgel
sense: single words
word: softgoods
sense: single words
word: softhead
sense: single words
word: softheaded
sense: single words
word: softhearted
sense: single words
word: softie
sense: single words
word: softish
sense: single words
word: softleaf
sense: single words
word: softline
sense: single words
word: softling
sense: single words
word: softlock
sense: single words
word: softly
sense: single words
word: softmask
sense: single words
word: softness
sense: single words
word: softnose
sense: single words
word: softpaste
sense: single words
word: softplay
sense: single words
word: softplus
sense: single words
word: softroader
sense: single words
word: softscape
sense: single words
word: softshell
sense: single words
word: softship
sense: single words
word: softsub
sense: single words
word: softtail
sense: single words
word: softwall
sense: single words
word: softwater
sense: single words
word: softwear
sense: single words
word: softy
sense: single words
word: stroft
sense: single words
word: ultrasoft
sense: single words
word: unsoft
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: a good conscience is a soft pillow
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: brown soft scale
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: fail-soft
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: go soft
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: jacketed soft point
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: semi-soft
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: silky soft
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft 404
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft a
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft as a baby's bottom
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft as silk
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft atheism
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft atheist
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft begging
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft bigotry of low expectations
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-block
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft boiled
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-boiled
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft bomb
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft boxing
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft boy
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft break
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft Brexit
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft butch
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft canon
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft capping
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft chancre
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft cheese
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-close
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft coal
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft copy
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft coral
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-core
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft corner
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft coup
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-delete
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft deletion
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft determinism
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft determinist
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft dollars
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-dotted
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft drink
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft drug
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft elm
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft error
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft flimsy
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft float
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft focus
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft fork
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft fox sedge
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft fruit
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft funding
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft g
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-gamma repeater
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft girl
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft goods
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-grain
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft grunge
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft hand
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft handed
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-handed
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft hands
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-headed
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-hearted
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-heartedly
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-heartedness
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft hyphen
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft in the head
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft jade
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft key
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft kill
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-land
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft land
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft landing
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft launch
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-launch
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-liner
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft link
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft lithography
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft loan
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft luxury
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft maple
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft market
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft matte
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft media
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft Mick
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-minded
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-mindedly
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-mindedness
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft mode
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft money
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft mutation
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft news
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-nosed
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: softnose
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-nose
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft nose
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft on
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-on
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft opening
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft ordnance
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft palate
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft paraffin
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft paste
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-paste
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft paywall
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-pedal
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft pedal
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft peddle
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft photon
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft pine
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft play
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft point
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-point
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft power
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft real-time
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft reboot
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft redirect
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft reference
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft reset
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft return
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft robot
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft robotics
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft rock
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft roe
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft room
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft rot
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft rush
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-sawder
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft sawder
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft scale
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft science
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft science fiction
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft sculpture
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-sectored
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft sectoring
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft sell
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft serve
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-served
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft served
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-shelled turtle
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-shell turtle
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-shoe
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft shoe
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft shoulder
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft sign
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft skill
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft snap
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-soap
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft soap
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-spoken
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft spot
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft steel
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft-sub
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft sub
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft surfboard
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft swap
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft tack
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft target
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft tennis
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft thing
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft tick
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft tissue
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft tommy
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft top
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft tortoise
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft touch
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft toy
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft underbelly
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: software
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft water
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft wheat
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: softwood
sense: Compound words and expressions
word: soft X-ray
Related terms: mollify