# softening

> English word · Verb · frequency rank #25,929

## Definitions
1. present participle and gerund of soften

## Etymology
From Middle English softenynge, softynand, equivalent to soften + -ing.

## Common misspellings (14)
`osftening`, `sfotening`, `sofetning`, `sofftening`, `softeinng`, `softenign`, `softeningg`, `softeninng`, `softennig`, `softenning`, `softneing`, `softtening`, `sotfening`, `ssoftening`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/softening