Meaning & Definition of Soft in English

1. Yielding readily to pressure or weight

2. Compassionate and kind

• Conciliatory

• "He was soft on his children"

3. (of sound) relatively low in volume

• "Soft voices"

• "Soft music"

4. Easily hurt

• "Soft hands"

• "A baby's delicate skin"

5. Produced with vibration of the vocal cords

• "A frequently voiced opinion"

• "Voiced consonants such as `b' and `g' and `z'"

6. Not protected against attack (especially by nuclear weapons)

• "Soft targets"

7. Used chiefly as a direction or description in music

• "The piano passages in the composition"

8. (of light) transmitted from a broad light source or reflected

9. (of speech sounds)

• Produced with the back of the tongue raised toward the hard palate

• Characterized by a hissing or hushing sound (as `s' and `sh')

10. (of a commodity or market or currency) falling or likely to fall in value

• "The market for computers is soft"

11. Using evidence not readily amenable to experimental verification or refutation

• "Soft data"

• "The soft sciences"

12. Tolerant or lenient

• "Indulgent parents risk spoiling their children"

• "Too soft on the children"

• "They are soft on crime"

13. Soft and mild

• Not harsh or stern or severe

• "A gentle reprimand"

• "A vein of gentle irony"

• "Poked gentle fun at him"

14. Having little impact

• "An easy pat on the shoulder"

• "Gentle rain"

• "A gentle breeze"

• "A soft (or light) tapping at the window"

15. Out of condition

• Not strong or robust

• Incapable of exertion or endurance

• "He was too soft for the army"

• "Flabby around the middle"

• "Flaccid cheeks"

16. Willing to negotiate and compromise

17. Not burdensome or demanding

• Borne or done easily and without hardship

• "What a cushy job!"

• "The easygoing life of a parttime consultant"

• "A soft job"

18. Mild and pleasant

• "Balmy days and nights"

• "The climate was mild and conducive to life or growth"

• "A soft breeze"

19. Not brilliant or glaring

• "The moon cast soft shadows"

• "Soft pastel colors"

• "Subdued lighting"

1. In a relaxed manner

• Or without hardship

• "Just wanted to take it easy" (`soft' is nonstandard)