Urgent Help Needed Please - English Essay

[dinki]

Can anybody help me please trying to find a word that means "to substitute one word for another in order to soften the impact eg Sleep not dead, chubby not fat. Does anyone know what this type of word is called.
Any help appreciated.

[jim360]

Euphemism, perhaps.

[888]

sugar-coat?

[naomi24]

Synonym.

[clivebeca]

Yes Naomi 24 ... via mac dictionary, in full:

synonym |ˈsɪnənɪm|
noun
a word or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word or phrase in the same language, for example shut is a synonym of close . ‘the East’ was a synonym for the Soviet empire. ‘shut’ is a synonym of ‘close’.
• a person or thing so closely associated with a particular quality or idea that the mention of their name calls it to mind: the Victorian age is a synonym for sexual puritanism.
• Biology a taxonomic name which has the same application as another, especially one which has been superseded and is no longer valid.
DERIVATIVES
synonymic |-ˈnɪmɪk|adjective,
synonymity |-ˈnɪmɪti|noun
ORIGIN late Middle English: via Latin from Greek sunōnumon, neuter (used as a noun) of the adjective sunōnumos, from sun- ‘with’ + onoma ‘name’.

Not sure if it softens it though, can be a 'nicer' way of saying things - if you get it right!

[Quizmonkey]

Not synonym - euphemism is the word you're looking for. Passed away (which I hate!) instead of died.

[sandyRoe]

is there a word for slowly matured spam?

[Peter Pedant]

horsemeat ? you didnt ask for a euphemism

[clivebeca]

SandyRoe - Yes 'Cardboard''.