The DICT Development Group

  tenderize
      v 1: make tender or more tender as by marinating, pounding, or
           applying a tenderizer; "tenderize meat" [syn: tender,
           tenderize, tenderise]

  26 Moby Thesaurus words for "tenderize":
     cushion, ease, fluff, gentle, knead, laxate, limber, limber up,
     loosen, mash, massage, mellow, milden, mollify, plump, pulp, relax,
     shake up, smash, soften, soften up, squash, subdue, supple,
     tone down, tune down