What does softness mean?
Softness is the quality of being soft, yielding, gentle, or subdued. Literally, it describes materials or surfaces that yield easily to pressure, as in the softness of skin, fabric, or a pillow. Figuratively, it refers to mildness in conduct and the absence of harshness, so a person may show softness by responding kindly to a difficult situation. The word can also characterize a voice, sound, or atmosphere as quiet, delicate, or gentle. Its uses therefore range from straightforward physical description to more subtle judgements about manner, expression, and emotional tone. Although softness can occasionally imply a lack of firmness or resistance, it is generally a neutral and often approving description, especially when it concerns touch, temperament, or sound.
nounThe quality of being soft, especially in terms of texture, sound, manner, or treatment. It can also refer to gentleness, mildness, or a lack of harshness.
- The quality of being soft or yielding to pressure.
- Gentleness, mildness, or a lack of harshness in behaviour or treatment.
- A subdued, gentle, or delicate quality in a sound or voice.
"The softness of the blanket made it impossible to resist getting comfortable."
"She was surprised by the softness of the evening light."
"His reply was delivered with a softness that made the criticism seem almost kind."
The plural is grammatically correct but uncommon in ordinary use.
"The design contrasts the varying softnesses of several different fabrics."
The same word can describe a pillow, a singer's voice, or a person's considerate behaviour: softness is as much about manner as material.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does softness come from?
The noun softness was formed in English by adding the suffix -ness to soft, a pattern widely used to create nouns naming qualities, states, or characteristics. The adjective soft descends from Old English sōft, which continued Germanic forms found in cognates such as Dutch zacht and German sanft. The related verb soften and adverb softly were likewise developed from the older English adjective.
Related word forms
How softness is actually used
The word is neutral in register and can be literal, figurative, or descriptive of sound and manner. In contexts involving behaviour, it often suggests tenderness or leniency rather than weakness.