soft definition

1. yielding readily to pressure or weight
2. compassionate and kind; conciliatory
• examples: he was soft on his children
3. (of sound) relatively low in volume
• examples: soft voices
• examples: soft music
4. not protected against attack (especially by nuclear weapons)
• examples: soft targets
5. (of light) transmitted from a broad light source or reflected
6. (of speech sounds); produced with the back of the tongue raised toward the hard palate; characterized by a hissing or hushing sound (as `s' and `sh')
7. (of a commodity or market or currency) falling or likely to fall in value
• examples: the market for computers is soft
8. using evidence not readily amenable to experimental verification or refutation
• examples: soft data
• examples: the soft sciences
9. out of condition; not strong or robust; incapable of exertion or endurance
• examples: he was too soft for the army
• examples: flabby around the middle
• examples: flaccid cheeks
10. willing to negotiate and compromise
11. not brilliant or glaring
• examples: the moon cast soft shadows
• examples: soft pastel colors
• examples: subdued lighting