cushion

1 of 2

noun

cush·​ion ˈku̇-shən How to pronounce cushion (audio)
1
: a soft pillow or pad usually used for sitting, reclining, or kneeling
2
: a bodily part resembling a pad
3
: something resembling a cushion: such as
c
: a pad of springy rubber along the inside of the rim of a billiard table
d
: a padded insert in a shoe
e
: an elastic body for reducing shock
f
: a mat laid under a large rug to ease the effect of wear
4
a
: something (such as an economic factor or a medical procedure) serving to mitigate the effects of disturbances or disorders
b
: a reserve supply (as of money)
c
: a comfortable lead
a 4–0 cushion in the ninth inning
cushionless adjective
cushiony adjective

cushion

2 of 2

verb

cushioned; cushioning ˈku̇-sh(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce cushion (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to seat or place on a cushion
2
: to suppress by ignoring
3
: to furnish with a cushion
a cushioned seat
4
a
: to mitigate the effects of
trying to cushion the blow
b
: to protect against force or shock
cushion the ride
5
: to check gradually so as to minimize shock of moving parts

Examples of cushion in a Sentence

Noun There is a cushion under the rug to protect the floor. We didn't have a financial cushion when my husband lost his job. Verb The pile of leaves helped cushion his fall. The tax cut is meant to cushion the blow of soaring gas prices.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Those funds provided a multimillion-dollar cushion to kick-start his Senate campaign. Laura J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 This involves tasks such as regular yard maintenance and removing any flammable material from around the perimeter of the home, including propane tanks, stacks of firewood, and patio cushions. Coleby Phillips, The Arizona Republic, 4 Mar. 2024 In the second overtime period, another Padilla trey and four free throws by McKenzie Forbes gave USC enough cushion to win 95-93. UCLA goes into the postseason on a conference-best five-game winning streak, beating Colorado on Monday and Arizona State and Arizona over the weekend. Jeff Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2024 Mindi Mond ‘s cushion cut aquamarines set in elliptical diamond 18K white gold. Beth Bernstein, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Even though Florida fell behind 1-0 in the first 10 minutes and didn’t build a two-goal cushion until Montour scored a 5-on-3 goal with 10:19 left, the Panthers and their 18,243 fans at Amerant Bank Arena never faced much stress. David Wilson, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2024 To put it simply, Korean beauty has changed the standards of skin care around the globe: Double-cleansing, essences, cushion compacts, lip tints, and the newer multi balms all originated in Korea, where the latest additions to multistep skin-care routines continue to inspire innovation worldwide. Sarah Han, Allure, 26 Feb. 2024 This might include ergonomic work equipment, like a wrist rest for your computer keyboard, a special padded mouse, or chair cushions. Erica Sweeney, SELF, 21 Feb. 2024 His birdie at 17 gave him a three-shot cushion and all but clinched the victory. Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2024
Verb
But documentarians, at least, seem to be somewhat cushioned from blowback. Jada Yuan, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 Granlund’s return helps cushion some of the blow for the Sharks after their top two centermen, Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture, became unavailable with injuries. Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2024 Even the Tesla bulls must be questioning whether Elon himself sees where his stock is headed, and wants to get a lot more for free to cushion the blow. Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 25 Jan. 2024 However, the film’s decline is cushioned by its modest $36 million budget, which makes its box office performance outsized. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 21 Jan. 2024 The classic lace-up kicks have memory foam cork insoles that cushion your feet with every step, as well as outsoles made from natural rubber that provide shock absorption and traction on wet or uneven surfaces. Madeline Diamond, Travel + Leisure, 22 Feb. 2024 Net profit grew 25% in the first half, cushioned by improved results at its gas utility and hotels businesses. Tony Spaeth, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 Tinubu, meanwhile, has directed the release of food items such as cereals from government reserves among other palliatives to help cushion the effect of the hardship. Chinedu Asadu, Quartz, 17 Feb. 2024 Keep In Mind The open-back design is not cushioned and can lack support. Addie Morton, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cushion.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English cusshin, from Anglo-French cussin, quissin, from Vulgar Latin *coxinus, from Latin coxa hip — more at coxa

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1738, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cushion was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near cushion

Cite this Entry

“Cushion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cushion. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cushion

1 of 2 noun
cush·​ion ˈku̇sh-ən How to pronounce cushion (audio)
1
: a soft pillow or pad to rest on or against
2
: something resembling a cushion in use, shape, or softness
3
: a rubber pad along the inner rim of a billiard table
4
: something serving to lessen the effects of something bad or unpleasant

cushion

2 of 2 verb
cushioned; cushioning -(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce cushion (audio)
1
: to place on or as if on a cushion
2
: to furnish with a cushion
3
: to soften or lessen the force or shock of

Medical Definition

cushion

noun
cush·​ion ˈku̇sh-ən How to pronounce cushion (audio)
1
: a bodily part resembling a pad
2
: a medical procedure or drug that eases discomfort without necessarily affecting the basic condition of the patient

More from Merriam-Webster on cushion

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