noun
the action or process of making or becoming soft
verb
present participle form of the verb 'soften', indicating ongoing action or state of softening
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The softening of the butter is essential for making the perfect pastry dough.
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I left the ice cream out for a while to help with the softening process.
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I always add a little bit of milk to the mixture to speed up the softening.
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The softening of her heart towards him was evident in the way she smiled at his jokes.