cushion/soften the blow
idiom
: to make one's disappointment less painful
She was disappointed not to get the job, but the promise of another job cushioned/softened the blow.
Examples of cushion/soften the blow in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Throw in the reality that bonds have done little to soften the blow this time around, and the traditional investor in US stocks and bonds didn’t have a great start to the year.
—
Bret Kenwell, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
While global markets had been expecting to see an initial jolt for oil, energy analytics firm Kpler pointed to other mitigating factors that could soften the blow eventually.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 23 June 2025
Colorado experienced widespread and dramatic increases in residential property values between mid-2020 and mid-2022, which resulted in nation-leading property tax increases that forced political leaders to try and soften the blow.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 20 June 2025
But strong global chip demand may still be able to cushion the blow, Angrick added, noting the artificial intelligence boom and the push for advanced chips will continue to make Taiwan a critical supplier with few close competitors.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 6 May 2025
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Bret Kenwell, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
While global markets had been expecting to see an initial jolt for oil, energy analytics firm Kpler pointed to other mitigating factors that could soften the blow eventually.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 23 June 2025
Colorado experienced widespread and dramatic increases in residential property values between mid-2020 and mid-2022, which resulted in nation-leading property tax increases that forced political leaders to try and soften the blow.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 20 June 2025
But strong global chip demand may still be able to cushion the blow, Angrick added, noting the artificial intelligence boom and the push for advanced chips will continue to make Taiwan a critical supplier with few close competitors.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cushion/soften the blow
Cite this Entry
“Cushion/soften the blow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cushion%2Fsoften%20the%20blow. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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