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Spell Bee Word: Soften


What does soften mean?

Word: Soften

Part of Speech: Verb

Meaning: Soften means to make something less firm and easier to press, or to become so.

How do you spell soften?

Syllables: sof - ten

Tricky part: The t is silent, so it is easy to leave out. You write it even though you do not say it.

Watch out for: sofen, soffen

Memory tip: Picture the t tiptoeing in socks: it is in the word, but it makes no noise.

Soften in a sentence

Example 1: Leave the wax crayons in the sun and they will soften.

Example 2: Add a little milk to soften the dough.

Example 3: Her smile softened when she saw the puppy.

Fun Fact

Some homes fit a machine called a water softener, which takes chalky minerals out of the tap water.

Practise the CREST Way

Word Makeup

Choose the suffix that completes the word:

soft

a) in
b) en
c) on
d) an

Show answer

b) en. This ending turns a describing word into an action word, as bright becomes brighten.

Word Connection

Choose the antonym of the word: soften

a) harden
b) weaken
c) melt
d) loosen

Show answer

a) harden. Clay left in the sun hardens, the opposite of softening.

Mingle-Mangle

Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:

tosfne

a) sfoten
b) sotfen
c) soften
d) osften

Show answer

c) soften. The s leads, and the silent letter comes straight after the f.

Spell-o-Spell

Choose the incorrectly spelt word:

a) gentle
b) cushon
c) soften
d) pillow

Show answer

b) cushon. Cushion has an i before its o-n.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. How could you soften butter taken from the fridge?

a) put it into the freezer
b) leave it out on the counter
c) place ice cubes around it
d) keep it in a cool box

Show answer

b) leave it out on the counter

2. Mum soaks dry chickpeas overnight to soften them. How are they in the morning?

a) easier to bite and cook
b) burnt at the edges
c) tougher than before
d) smaller and drier

Show answer

a) easier to bite and cook

Associated Words

Words that end in -ten: fasten, glisten, kindergarten, kitten

More words from this list

wallet, bacon, childish, dictionary, flutter, improvement, misery, praise

Next steps

How to participate in CREST International Spell Bee

The CREST International Spell Bee (CSB) is conducted in two editions – CREST International Spell Bee - Summer (CSB) and CREST International Spell Bee - Winter (CSBW) – giving students across the globe an opportunity to showcase and enhance their spelling proficiency. Designed for young learners from Senior KG to Class 8, the competition focuses on word-building, pronunciation, and vocabulary enrichment, helping students develop strong linguistic skills.

Steps to Participate:

Step 1: Visit the registration page and complete the registration with your desired subject.

Step 2: After Registration done, do login at www.crestolympiads.com/login.

Step 3: After login, go to dashboard and click on Book slot/Take Exam

Step 4: Schedule your exam date and preferred time.

Step 5: Log in with your credentials on the exam day at the scheduled time and take the exam.

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