deafen vs soften

deafen and soften both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
deafen	No	No	Yes	No
soften	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, soften is a hypernym of deafen; that is, soften is a word with a broader meaning than deafen:

Other hypernyms of deafen include break, damp, dampen, weaken.

deafen (verb)	soften (verb)
make soundproof	become soft or softer
make or render deaf	make soft or softer
be unbearably loud	lessen in force or effect
	make less severe or harsh
	protect from impact
	make (images or sounds) soft or softer
	give in, as to influence or pressure