How Do You Spell SOFTENING?

Pronunciation: [sˈɒfənɪŋ] (IPA)

The word "softening" is spelled with a silent "e" at the end. In IPA phonetic transcription, it is represented as /ˈsɒfənɪŋ/. The "o" is pronounced as "ah" sound, and the "e" at the end is not pronounced. The "f" and "t" sounds are both pronounced clearly, with a short "i" sound in the middle syllable. The word means to make something soft or to become softer, and is commonly used in discussions of cooking, textiles, and medicine.

SOFTENING Meaning and Definition

  1. Softening is a term that refers to the process or act of making something soft or milder in nature, texture, or impact. It involves reducing the hardness, rigidity, or intensity of an object, substance, or condition to make it more pliable, gentle, or lenient. Softening can be achieved through various means, such as physical manipulation, application of heat, addition of liquids or chemicals, or adjusting the parameters of a situation.

    In the context of materials, softening typically involves altering their physical properties to enhance flexibility, elasticity, or comfort. For instance, in the textile industry, fabrics are often subjected to treatments that involve softening agents or mechanical processes like tumbling, steaming, or enzyme washing to make them smoother, more supple, and less abrasive to the touch.

    In a broader sense, softening can also refer to the amelioration of emotions, attitudes, or disagreements. It involves adopting a more conciliatory or empathetic approach to alleviate tension, reduce hostility, or facilitate compromise. Softening in interpersonal communication often involves using gentle language, expressing understanding, or offering concessions to bridge gaps and promote harmony.

    In terms of water treatment, softening refers to the removal of hard minerals, namely calcium and magnesium ions, from water. This process helps prevent the formation of limescale and allows the water to have a smoother texture and be less damaging to pipes, appliances, and skin.

    Overall, softening encompasses a wide range of applications and connotations, all aimed at making something softer, gentler, or more pliable in nature, texture, or impact.

  2. • Arteriomalacia.
    • Malacia, mollities, the act of becoming or state of being soft, a diminution of the normal consistence of a tissue.

    A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

  3. • Making less hard or fierce.
    • Act of making less hard or cruel; in paint., the blending of colours into each other.

    Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for SOFTENING *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for SOFTENING

Etymology of SOFTENING

The word "softening" is derived from the verb "soften" which can be traced back to the mid-14th century. It is formed by combining the Old English word "sēfte" (meaning "gentle" or "mild") with the suffix "-en" (indicating a process or state). Over time, the term "soften" has evolved to denote the act of making something softer or less firm, whether in a physical or metaphorical sense, and "softening" became its noun form.

Similar spelling words for SOFTENING

Plural form of SOFTENING is SOFTENINGS

Conjugate verb Softening

CONDITIONAL

I would soften
we would soften
you would soften
he/she/it would soften
they would soften

FUTURE

I will soften
we will soften
you will soften
he/she/it will soften
they will soften

FUTURE PERFECT

I will have softened
we will have softened
you will have softened
he/she/it will have softened
they will have softened

PAST

I softened
we softened
you softened
he/she/it softened
they softened

PAST PERFECT

I had softened
we had softened
you had softened
he/she/it had softened
they had softened

PRESENT

I soften
we soften
you soften
he/she/it softens
they soften

PRESENT PERFECT

I have softened
we have softened
you have softened
he/she/it has softened
they have softened
I am softening
we are softening
you are softening
he/she/it is softening
they are softening
I was softening
we were softening
you were softening
he/she/it was softening
they were softening
I will be softening
we will be softening
you will be softening
he/she/it will be softening
they will be softening
I have been softening
we have been softening
you have been softening
he/she/it has been softening
they have been softening
I had been softening
we had been softening
you had been softening
he/she/it had been softening
they had been softening
I will have been softening
we will have been softening
you will have been softening
he/she/it will have been softening
they will have been softening
I would have softened
we would have softened
you would have softened
he/she/it would have softened
they would have softened
I would be softening
we would be softening
you would be softening
he/she/it would be softening
they would be softening
I would have been softening
we would have been softening
you would have been softening
he/she/it would have been softening
they would have been softening

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