"softening" in the noun sense
1. softening
the process of becoming softer
"refrigeration delayed the softening of the fruit"
"he observed the softening of iron by heat"
"softening" in the verb sense
1. soften
make (images or sounds) soft or softer
2. dampen, damp, soften, weaken, break
lessen in force or effect
"soften a shock"
"break a fall"
3. yield, relent, soften
give in, as to influence or pressure
4. cushion, buffer, soften
protect from impact
"cushion the blow"
5. mince, soften, moderate
make less severe or harsh
"He moderated his tone when the students burst out in tears"
6. soften
make soft or softer
"This liquid will soften your laundry"
7. soften
become soft or softer
"The bread will soften if you pour some liquid on it"
"softening" in the adjective sense
1. demulcent, emollient, salving, softening
having a softening or soothing effect especially to the skin
Source: WordNet® (An amazing lexical database of English)
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