The term 'softens' can be defined as making something less hard, rigid, or severe. The crossword solutions for this term include ASSUAGES (8 letters), RELENTS (7 letters), pads (4 letters), eases (5 letters), melts (5 letters), mutes (5 letters), tames (5 letters), ALLAYS (6 letters), unsteels (8 letters), and mitigates (9 letters). ASSUAGES means to reduce the intensity of something, while RELENTS means to give in or stop resisting. Pads refers to a soft material used to cushion or protect something, and eases means to make something less difficult or painful. Melts is to become liquid or softer due to heat, while mutes means to reduce the volume or intensity of something. Tames means to make something less wild or aggressive, ALLAYS means to lessen the intensity of something, unsteels means to make someone less determined or resolute, and mitigates means to make something less severe or intense.