What does softest mean?
Softest is the superlative form of the adjective soft, meaning softer than everything else in a given comparison. Its most familiar use describes a surface or material that yields easily or feels gentle to the touch, as in “the softest blanket.” The word also applies to sounds and voices, where it means quiet or subdued, and to conduct, remedies, or approaches, where it suggests gentleness, mildness, or reduced force. Because its sense follows the noun it modifies, softest can express a comparison in several different domains: physical, auditory, and figurative. The form is regular in English, formed by adding the superlative ending -est to soft. It is suitable in both everyday and formal contexts, though a more precise adjective may be preferable when the quality being compared needs to be stated explicitly.
adjectiveThe superlative of soft, meaning softer than all others in a particular comparison. It is commonly used for something yielding or gentle to the touch, but can also describe a quiet voice, a mild manner, or a lenient approach.
- Yielding readily to pressure or pleasant to the touch.
- Quiet or gentle in sound, especially a voice.
- Gentle, mild, or non-forceful in manner, treatment, or approach.
- Low in intensity or strength, such as the weakest or mildest version of something.
"The singer’s softest notes seemed to fill the entire hall."
"The cat made the softest sound as it settled beside him."
"That was the softest possible treatment for such a sensitive situation."
From the Old English sōfte, softest carries one of English’s most versatile roots: it can describe a feather, a whisper, or a forgiving approach.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does softest come from?
Softest is the modern superlative of soft, an adjective attested in Old English as sōfte. The Old English word belongs to a Germanic family that includes German sanft and Dutch zacht, and it also underlies related English forms such as soften and softness. The ending -est is the regular English superlative suffix, added here to form the comparative form softer and the superlative form softest.
How softest is actually used
Softest is the regular superlative of soft and is not usually treated as an independent dictionary word. Its meaning depends on the noun being compared, ranging from physical texture to volume, manner, or severity.
Easily confused with softest
Softest is the superlative adjective, while softly is the adverb describing an action performed in a gentle or quiet manner.