Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
soften up. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
soften up, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
soften up in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
soften up you have here. The definition of the word
soften up will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
soften up, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Pronunciation
Verb
soften up (third-person singular simple present softens up, present participle softening up, simple past and past participle softened up)
- To make softer.
- (by extension, idiomatic) To appease someone in order to make them more receptive to an idea or proposal.
- To become less committed to something.
1994, J.A. Jance, Death of a Snowbird:That was what Agnes thought at two o'clock in the afternoon, but by evening she had softened up some.
Synonyms
Derived terms