WordGarden.iosmoothen
A2Pronunciation
UK
- /smˈuːðən/
US
- /ˈsmuðɪn/
Meanings
Verb
to make or become smoother, flatter, or more even in surface texture
to make something less harsh, uneven, or troublesome so it proceeds more smoothly
Beyond the definition
To smoothen something is to make it smoother by taking away roughness, bumps, or small faults. It can describe a real surface, like wood, fabric, or hair, and it can also describe a process or situation that needs to become easier or more even. You might use it for sanding a board, flattening wrinkles, or making the early stages of a project go more easily.
The word follows a common English pattern where -en turns an adjective into a verb, like sharpen or soften. Still, in modern everyday English, people often prefer the verb smooth. Because of that, smoothen can sound a little less common, but its meaning is clear: to make something more even, neat, or easy.
To smoothen means to make something smoother, more even, or less rough by removing irregularities, wrinkles, or other small problems. It is used both for physical things and for less literal ones. You can use it for a surface, for hair or cloth, for movement from one stage to another, or for a plan that needs to work in a cleaner and easier way.
For example, "She carefully smoothened the wrinkles out of the tablecloth" describes a physical action. In writing or editing, someone might smoothen the transitions between sections so the text reads more naturally. In planning or teamwork, a person might try to smoothen the way forward by dealing with small problems before they grow.
Historically, smoothen has been a valid verb formed from smooth. However, modern English, especially American English, usually prefers smooth as the verb, as in "I smoothed the fabric." Smoothen still appears and is understood, but it is less common and may sound more marked or old-fashioned in some contexts. It can be useful when a writer wants to stress the act of making something gradually more even or polished.
So, whether you are polishing furniture, improving the flow of a piece of writing, or making a process easier, smoothen suggests careful work that removes rough points and leaves things more even than before.
Examples
- 1
Woodwork
He used sandpaper to smoothen the edge of the table.
- 2
Online checkout
The company is working to smoothen the checkout process on its website.
- 3
Team relations
Relations between the two teams began to smoothen out after the meeting.
- Phrasesmoothen out
become easier or less tense
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- smoothenverb