lembutkan

Lembutkan is an Indonesian verb meaning to make something soft or to soften. It is formed from the root adjective lembut, meaning soft, with the causative suffix -kan. In standard usage, the dictionary form is melembutkan, while lembutkan often appears as the imperative or in casual speech when giving a directive to soften or tenderize something.

Etymology and form

The word rests on the base lembut (soft) and the productive Indonesian suffix -kan, which creates a transitive verb meaning “to cause to become X.” The base form melembutkan is widely used in formal and written language, while lembutkan functions primarily as an imperative or closely related form in everyday speech.

Common uses

Melembutkan is used across several contexts. In cooking, it refers to tenderizing or softening texture, for example, melembutkan daging through simmering or marinating. In textiles and household care, it can describe making fabrics or laundry feel softer, such as melembutkan serat kain with conditioners. In personal and figurative language, it can denote softening a stance, tempering harsh words, or making a situation more agreeable, as in melembutkan hati or melembutkan kata-kata.

Related terms

Related nouns include kelembutan (softness) and the noun pelunakan (softening). Verbs with similar meanings include menghaluskan (to smooth or refine) and melunakkan (to soften further). Lembutkan is part of a broader family describing changes in texture, tone, or attitude toward greater gentleness.