"Case hardened" is a term used to describe the process of hardening the surface of an object, typically metal, through heat treatment or other processes. The antonyms for case hardened could include words like soft, pliant, malleable, or vulnerable. While these words may not have the same technical meaning as case hardened, they convey a sense of something that is not resistant or durable, and may be easily damaged or deformed. Other possible antonyms could include fragile, weak, brittle, or tender, depending on the context in which the word is being used. Ultimately, the choice of antonym will depend on the desired connotations and the specific circumstances in which the word is used.