soften vs dull

soften is not an adjective while dull is an adjective.

soften and dull both are verbs.

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

As verbs, dull is a hyponym of soften; that is, dull is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than soften:

soften: make (images or sounds) soft or softer
dull: deaden (a sound or noise), especially by wrapping

Other hyponyms of soften include damp, dampen, muffle, mute, tone down.

soften (adjective)	dull (adjective)
	not having a sharp edge or point
	emitting or reflecting very little light
	lacking in liveliness or animation
	not keenly felt
	darkened with overcast
	(of business) not active or brisk
	blunted in responsiveness or sensibility
	being or made softer or less loud or clear
	slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity
	not clear and resonant; sounding as if striking with or against something relatively soft
	(of color) very low in saturation; highly diluted
	so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness

soften (verb)	dull (verb)
become soft or softer	become dull or lusterless in appearance; lose shine or brightness
make soft or softer	make less lively or vigorous
lessen in force or effect	become less interesting or attractive
make less severe or harsh	make dull in appearance
protect from impact	make dull or blunt
make (images or sounds) soft or softer	deaden (a sound or noise), especially by wrapping
give in, as to influence or pressure	make numb or insensitive

Difference between soften and dull

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