Synonyms for Soften up:

• v.

  •cater to, indulge (verb)
  • pander.
  •entice, manipulate (verb)
  • inveigle.
  •pander (verb)
  • satisfy,
  • brownnose,
  • please,
  • play the game,
  • lay it on,
  • gratify,
  • suck up to,
  • politic,
  • fall all over.
  •sugarcoat (verb)
  • soothe,
  • make more appealing,
  • mollify,
  • add sweetening,
  • add sugar,
  • alleviate,
  • make sweet,
  • pacify,
  • candy-coat.
  •sway (verb)
  • strike,
  • get,
  • prevail on,
  • carry,
  • rule over,
  • hold sway over.
  •wheedle (verb)
  • draw,
  • entice,
  • soft-soap,
  • banter,
  • spread it on,
  • kowtow,
  • sweet-talk,
  • sweeten up,
  • court,
  • finagle,
  • butter up,
  • worm.

• Other synonyms:

  •
  • buy,
  • bribe,
  • blackmail,
  • buy off,
  • keep in with,
  • maneuver,
  • cozy up,
  • cultivate,
  • make up to,
  • flatter.
  •pander
  • politicking,
  • laid on,
  • lays on,
  • fall over,
  • laying on,
  • lay on,
  • falls over,
  • playing the game.
  •sugarcoat
  • candy-coated.
  •wheedle
  • Worming,
  • Wormed,
  • spread on,
  • WORMS,
  • wheedle,
  • soft-soaped,
  • soft-soaping.

Antonyms for Soften up:

• v.

  • inveigle
    free, be honest, repel, prevent, liberate, release, let go, disgust, turn off, discourage, disenchant, repulse, dissuade.
  • pander
    disappoint, disturb, annoy, refuse, frustrate, anger, upset, deny, dissatisfy.
  • sugarcoat
    incite, agitate, worry.
  • sway
    leave alone, mislead, abandon, fail, lose, fix, stay, yield, misguide, leave, neglect, serve, steady, submit, surrender, misunderstand, mismanage, miss.
  • sweeten
    disrupt, salt, trouble, sour, displease.
  • wheedle
    offend.