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suavizar

to soften; to smooth

verb swah-bee-SAHR Rare

Also means

to tone down; to ease

Usage Note

Suavizar (to soften, to smooth) is a regular -ar verb that undergoes a spelling change in the subjunctive and imperative: suavice, suavices. It applies both literally — suavizar la piel (to soften the skin) — and figuratively — suavizar el tono (to tone down the language). The adjective suave (soft, mild) is its base, and the suffix -izar makes it a causative ('to make soft').

Examples

"Hay que suavizar el tono del mensaje."

Natural Translation

The tone of the message needs to be softened.

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