The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 plus 5 letter word BLEEDING HEART
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
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More clues leading to the result BLEEDING HEART
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "one considered too soft" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case one considered too soft = bleeding heart.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does BLEEDING HEART mean?
BLEEDING HEART noun- Any of several species of bird in the genus Gallicolumba of the pigeon family, native to the Philippines, characterised by a red patch on the plumage of the breast.
- A person who is overly sympathetic to the plight of the underprivileged or exploited.
- Overly sympathetic to the plight of the underprivileged or exploited.