soft

comparative softer · superlative softest

1. Easily giving way under pressure.

   My head sank easily into the soft pillow.

   2 more examples

   My favorite Greek cheese is the creamy, sheepy manouri: delicately scented and almost spreadable, it’s like a softer, pudgier feta.

   2007 September 9, Sara Dickerman, “Olympic Dinners”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 22 Jun 2017

   […] 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 […]

   2010, Robert Beeman, No More Time for Sorrow, page 133

   Antonyms: hard, resistant, solid, stony

2. Smooth and flexible; not rough, rugged, or harsh.

   soft silk; a soft skin

   2 more examples

   Polish the silver with a soft cloth to avoid scratching.

   They that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 11:8

   Synonyms: fluffy, non-abrasive · Antonyms: abrasive, scratchy

3. Quiet.

   I could hear the soft rustle of the leaves in the trees.

   1 more example

   Her voice was ever soft, / Gentle, and low, — an excellent thing in woman.

   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]

   Synonyms: quiet · Antonyms: loud

4. Gentle.

   There was a soft breeze blowing.

   2 more examples

   I would to God my heart were flint, like Edward's; / Or Edward's soft and pitiful, like mine.

   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]

   The meek or soft shall inherit the earth.

   c. 1533, William Tyndale, An exposicion upon of Mathew

   Synonyms: gentle, light, nesh · Antonyms: harsh, rough, strong

5. Expressing gentleness or tenderness; mild; conciliatory; courteous; kind.

   soft eyes

   2 more examples

   A soft answer turneth away wrath.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 15:1

   A face with gladness overspread, / Soft smiles, by human kindness bred.

   1815, William Wordsworth, To a Highland Girl

6. Gentle in action or motion; easy.

   On her soft axle, white she paces even, / And bears thee soft with the smooth air along.

   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

7. Limp, weak.
8. Weak in character; impressible.

   The deceiver soon found this soft place of Adam's.

   1665, Joseph Glanvill, Scepsis Scientifica: Or, Confest Ignorance, the Way to Science; […], London: […] E. C[otes] for Henry Eversden […], →OCLC

9. Requiring little or no effort; easy.

   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.

   1892, Robert Louis Stevenson, The Beach of Falesá

10. Not bright or intense.

    soft lighting

11. Having a slight angle from straight.

    It's important to dance on soft knees to avoid injury.

    1 more example

    At the intersection with two roads going left, take the soft left.

    Synonyms: acute · Antonyms: hard

12. human sciencesVoiced; sonant; lenis.

    DH represents the voiced (soft) th of English these clothes.

    1954, J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

13. rarehuman sciencesVoiceless.
14. Slavichuman sciencesPalatalized.
15. slangExcessively empathetic or concerned about others’ wellbeing.

    He’s too soft for the ruthless world of finance.

16. slangLacking strength or resolve; not tough, wimpy.

    When it comes to drinking, he is as soft as they come.

    2 more examples

    ‘Going soft on me, Jack?’ ‘You know I’m not.’ ‘Then why all the fuss and blow?’

    1932, Delos W. Lovelace, King Kong, published 1965, page 31

    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.

    2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Prison Ship Purgatory

    Synonyms: meek, mild, nesh, wimpy · Antonyms: firm, strict, tough

17. Low in dissolved calcium compounds.

    You won't need as much soap, as the water here is very soft.

    Antonyms: hard

18. UKcolloquialFoolish.

    He made soft fellows stark noddies, and such as were foolish quite mad.

    1621, Robert Burton, The Essential Anatomy of Melancholy

    Synonyms: daft, foolish, silly, stupid, asinine, balmy, barmy, bedaft · Antonyms: sensible

19. natural sciencesOf 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)
20. Physically or emotionally weak.

    see: snowflake and softie

21. UKEffeminate.

    A longing after sensual pleasures is a dissolution of the spirit of a man, and makes it loose, soft, and wandering.

    1650, Jeremy Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living

    Synonyms: epicene, fruity, swish, fem, feminine, femme, girlish, girly

22. Agreeable to the senses.

    soft wines

    2 more examples

    a soft liniment

    the soft, delicious air

    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

23. UKdatedslangAgreeable generally; pleasant.

    And then there'll be the insurance people. And then a young man introducing himself as "The Press". I'll tell you what, sergeant, this being burgled isn't such a soft thing after all.

    1927, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados Mysteries

24. Not harsh or offensive to the sight; not glaring or jagged; pleasing to the eye.

    soft colours

    2 more examples

    the soft outline of the snow-covered hill

    The sun, shining upon the upper part of the clouds […] made the softest lights imaginable.

    1673, Edward Browne, A Brief Account of some Travels in Hungaria, Styria, Bulgaria, Thessaly, Austria, Serbia, Carynthia, Carniola, and Friuli

25. artsMade up of nonparallel rays, tending to wrap around a subject and produce diffuse shadows.
26. Incomplete, or temporary; not a full action.

    The admin imposed a soft ban on the user.

    1 more example

    Messages removed by soft deletion can be recovered if necessary.

27. computingEmulated with software; not physically real.

    Press the red button on the soft phone to hang up.

28. Not likely to cause addiction.
29. Not containing alcohol.

    Antonyms: alcoholic, hard

30. Easy-going, lenient, not strict; permissive.

    soft on crime

    Synonyms: easy, lax, soft-handed, clement, easygoing, forbearing, indulgent, lax · Antonyms: hard

31. businessOf a market: having more supply than demand; being a buyer's market.

    Overall the rental market is soft and multifamily permit activity is almost nonexistent.

    1995, U.S. Housing Market Conditions, page 45

    Antonyms: hard

32. Softcore

    Antonyms: hard, hardcore

33. Mild, tame, moderate; far from intense or excluding harsh elements.

    soft vore

    2 more examples

    soft humiliation play

    soft raceplay

    Synonyms: light · Antonyms: rough

34. Of paper: unsized.
35. Of silk: having the natural gum cleaned or washed off.
36. Of coal: bituminous, as opposed to anthracitic.
37. Of weather: warm enough to melt ice; thawing.
38. idiomaticinformalAttracted to or emotionally involved (with someone).
39. UKslangFake; counterfeit.

    All along, Nickle, I have tried to make you realise that this stroke was not to be a matter of planting a few soft fivers on racecourse bookies—I used to think that you had imagination. We intend to make notes of all the values and chiefly of the big ones.

    1934, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], The Bravo of London

1. archaicBe quiet; hold; stop; not so fast.

   But ſoft, what light through yonder window breaks?

   c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 59, column 1

   1 more example

   Soft you; a word or two before you goe: / I haue done the State ſome ſeruice, and they know’t: / No more of that.

   c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii], page 338, column 2

plural softs

1. archaiccountableA soft-headed or foolish person; an idiot.

   It'll do you no good to sit in a spring-cart o' your own, if you've got a soft to drive you: he'll soon turn you over into the ditch.

   1859, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], chapter 9, in Adam Bede […], volume I, Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, book first

2. countableuncountableA soft drink.

   Artois' story with water and softs was embodied in the difficult relationship between Raymond Boon and Spa's main owner and CEO, Guy du Bois.

   2019, Kenneth Bertrams, Julien Del Marmol, Sander Geerts, Becoming the World's Biggest Brewer

3. countablehobbiesA tyre whose compound is softer than mediums, and harder than supersofts.
4. colloquialcountableA soft sound or part of a sound.

   The expander doesn't really make the louds louder and the softs softer in one step […]

   2012, Sam McGuire, Paul Lee, The Video Editor's Guide to Soundtrack Pro, page 103

5. countabledatednonstandardrarecomputingA piece of software.

   Sega and third-party licensees are set to release an abundance of softs that range from intense shooters to sports to reflex-testers.

   December 1989, Electronic Gaming Monthly

6. UKobsoleteslanguncountableBanknotes.

   Putting his mouth to my ear, he whispered hoarsely. "Do you want to buy any queer soft?" […] In my dream I had been haunted by a counterfeiter, vulgarly called "a smasher."

   1876, The Guernsey Magazine, volume 4

   1 more example

   At the end of the two years and a half I got into the way of forged Bank-of-England notes. A man I knew in the course of business, said, ‘I would cut that game of ‘smatter-hauling,’ (stealing handkerchiefs), and do a little soft,’ (pass bad notes).

   1851, Henry Mayhew, London Labour and the London Poor, published 1861

comparative more soft · superlative most soft

1. obsoleteSoftly; without roughness or harshness; gently; quietly.

   A Knight soft ryding towards them they spyde

   1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto VI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 9

   1 more example

   There was a neat hat-and-umbrella stand, and the stranger's weary feet fell soft on a good, serviceable dark-red drugget, which matched in colour the flock-paper on the walls.

   1913, Mrs. [Marie] Belloc Lowndes, chapter II, in The Lodger, London: Methuen, →OCLC; republished in Novels of Mystery: The Lodger; The Story of Ivy; What Really Happened, New York, N.Y.: Longmans, Green and Co., […], [1933], →OCLC, page 0091