milden
Definition
- Verb:
- To make or become milder: "milden" refers to the process of reducing intensity, harshness, or severity. It can apply to weather, emotions, flavors, or conditions.
Usage Examples
- (To make the temperature less severe.)
- (To reduce the intensity of his anger.)
- (To reduce the harshness of the flavor.)
Advanced Usage
- "to milden the blow": to lessen the impact or severity of a negative event.
- The company offered a bonus to milden the blow of the salary cut. (To reduce the negative effect.)
- "to milden one's tone": to speak in a less harsh or critical manner.
- After seeing her upset, he mildened his tone and apologized. (He became gentler in his speech.)
Variants and Related Words
- Mild (adj): not harsh, severe, or extreme.
- The weather is mild today. (Pleasantly warm, not extreme.)
- Mildness (n): the quality or state of being mild.
- The mildness of the climate makes it ideal for farming. (The lack of harshness.)
- Mildly (adv): in a mild manner; to a small extent.
- She was mildly surprised by the news. (Slightly or gently.)
Synonyms
- Soften: to make or become less hard, severe, or strong.
- Temper: to reduce the intensity or strength of something.
- Moderate: to make less extreme or intense.
- Alleviate: to make (pain or a problem) less severe.
Phrasal Verbs
- Milden down: (less common) to make something milder.
- The rain helped to milden down the heat. (Reduce the intensity of the heat.)
Related Idioms
- Milden the edge: to reduce the sharpness or severity of something.
- His apology mildened the edge of her criticism. (Made her criticism less harsh.)
- Milden the mood: to make the atmosphere less tense or severe.
- A joke can milden the mood in a serious meeting. (Lighten the atmosphere.)