soft

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

adj. supple, pliant; faint, low; kind, lenient; easy. See softness, faintness, leniency, facility.

II

(Roget's IV) modif.

1. [Pliable]

Syn. malleable, pliant, elastic; see flexible 1 .

2. [Soft to the touch]

Syn. smooth, satiny, velvety, silky, delicate, fine, thin, flimsy, limp, fluffy, feathery, flocculent, downy, woolly, pulpy, mellow, pasty, doughy, spongy, pithy, punky, mushy, mashy, soppy.

Ant. harsh*, rough*, flinty.

3. [Soft to the eye]

Syn. dull, dim, quiet, shaded, pale, pallid, light, pastel, ashen, wan, faint, blond, misty, hazy, dusky, delicate, tinted; see also gray 1 , shady .

Ant. bright*, glaring, brilliant.

4. [Soft to the ear]

Syn. low, melodious, faraway; see faint 3 .

5. [Soft in conduct]

Syn. affectionate, considerate, courteous; see kind .

6. [Lacking training]

Syn. untrained, flabby, out of condition; see fat 1 , weak 1 .

7. [*Easy]

Syn. simple, effortless, manageable; see easy 2 .

• be soft on,

Syn. treat lightly, not condemn, not oppose, fail to attack; see favor 2 , neglect 1 .

• soft in the head,

Syn. foolish, dumb, not bright, not intelligent; see dull 3 , stupid 1 .

Syn.- soft implies an absence or reduction of all that is harsh, rough, too intense, etc. so as to be pleasing to the senses [soft colors, a soft voice ] ; bland implies such an absence of irritation, stimulation, pungency, etc. in something as to make it soothing, unexciting, and hence, sometimes, uninteresting [bland foods, climate, etc. ] ; mild applies to that which is not as rough, harsh, irritating, etc. as it might be [ a mild cigarette, criticism, etc. ] ; gentle , often equivalent to mild , carries a more positive connotation of being pleasantly soothing or tranquil [ a gentle breeze, voice, etc. ]

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) a.

1. yielding easily spongy, squishy, doughy, mushy, fluffy, cushioned, pliable, supple, malleable, flexible, ductile.

2. smooth fine, silky, satiny, downy, velvety, fine, delicate.

3. gentle mild, light, slight, moderate, delicate, faint, mellow, muted, subdued.

4. tender compassionate, kind, softhearted, merciful, easy, easygoing, humane, lenient, forgiving.

5. easy *cushy, simple, plush, *piece of cake, *a snap, *no sweat, unchallenging.

6. fat unfit, untoned, fleshy, blubbery, doughy.

ANT.: 1. hard, rock-hard, solid, unyielding. 2. rough, coarse, abrasive. 3. intense, strong, loud. 4. *hardas nails, merciless, cold, brutal. 5. hard, demanding, challenging, stressful. 6. hard, toned, fit, cut

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) adjective 1. Yielding easily to pressure or weight; not firm: mushy, pappy1, pulpous, pulpy, quaggy, spongy, squashy, squishy, yielding. See RESIST. 2. Not irritating, strident, or loud: hushed, low, low-key, low-keyed, quiet, small, subdued, whispery. See SOUNDS. 3. Free from severity or violence, as in movement: balmy1, delicate, faint, gentle, mild, smooth. See CALM, STRONG. 4. Of small intensity: gentle, light2, moderate, slight. See STRONG. 5. Of a kindly, considerate character: gentle, mild, softhearted, tender1, tenderhearted. See KIND. 6. Not strict or severe: charitable, clement, easy, forbearing, indulgent, lax, lenient, merciful, tolerant. See ACCEPT. 7. Affectedly or extravagantly emotional: bathetic, gushy, maudlin, mawkish, romantic, sentimental, slushy, sobby, soppy. Informal: gooey, mushy, schmaltzy, sloppy, soupy. Slang: drippy, sappy, tear-jerking. See FEELINGS. 8. Informal Having only a limited ability to learn and understand: backward, dull, simple, simple-minded, slow, slow-witted. Offensive: feeble-minded, half-witted, retarded, weak-minded. See ABILITY. 9. Characterized by reduced economic activity: down, dull, off, slack, slow, sluggish. See INCREASE. 10. Informal. Affording pleasurable ease: comfortable, cozy, easeful, easy, snug. Informal: comfy. See GOOD.