CEFR B2

soften up

phrasal verb

Meaning

To make someone or something less harsh, resistant, or firm, often to prepare them for a subsequent action or negotiation.

Examples

The politician tried to soften up the opposition with a series of concessions before the final vote.
A long soak in warm water will help to soften up the dried clay on the pottery.

Synonyms: mollify, placate, appease, persuade

Learn English that separates you from the crowd with Anaversity: private classes, Ani practice, Campus tools, and a public English-learning community.

soften up (B2)

phrasal verb

Pronunciation: /ˈsɒfən ʌp/

Definition

To make someone or something less harsh, resistant, or firm, often to prepare them for a subsequent action or negotiation.

Examples

The politician tried to soften up the opposition with a series of concessions before the final vote.
A long soak in warm water will help to soften up the dried clay on the pottery.

How to Use soften up

soften up someone/something (phrasal verb): To make someone or something less resistant or more amenable. — "They tried to soften up the crowd with free drinks before the sales pitch."
soften up for (prepositional phrase): To prepare something for a subsequent action. — "The chef let the dried fruit soak to soften it up for the cake."

Synonyms of soften up

Words with a similar meaning to soften up:

Antonyms of soften up

Words with the opposite meaning to soften up:

Browse the full Anaversity dictionary