Synonyms of buffer

buffer 1 of 2

noun

ˈbə-fər 

1

as in mediator

one who works with opposing sides in order to bring about an agreement

it took a friend serving as a buffer between the feuding siblings to get them to speak to one another again

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mediator
• negotiator
• intermediary
• broker
• intermediate
• liaison
• ambassador
• peacemaker
• honest broker
• proxy
• middleman
• agent
• conciliator
• intercessor
• interceder
• negotiant
• attorney
• moderator
• referee
• delegate
• interposer
• representative
• factor
• adviser
• envoy
• go-between
• judge
• messenger
• umpire
• deputy
• arbiter
• pacificator
• troubleshooter
• arbitrator
• reconciler
• medium
• emissary
• counselor
• bargainer
• pacifier
• procurator
• legate
• appeaser
• interferer
• meddler
• busybody

2

as in pad

something that serves as a protective barrier

the excelsior acts as an additional buffer for the marble bust during shipping

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pad
• shield
• cushion
• bumper
• fender
• padding
• cocoon
• cushioning
• barricade
• safeguard
• baffle
• muffler
• cordon

buffer

2 of 2

verb

as in to soften

to lessen the shock of

during my walk an umbrella and thick coat buffered the freezing rain

Synonyms & Similar Words

• soften
• cushion
• mitigate
• alleviate
• modulate
• temper
• gentle
• dull
• moderate
• obtund
• baffle
• relieve
• dampen
• deaden
• allay
• lighten
• ease
• assuage

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• intensify
• sharpen
• heighten

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of buffer

Noun

The buffer size was increased from 20 feet with trustees noting that some homeowners may want to build swimming pools or play sets on their property. — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 10 Sep. 2026

Some airports employ collapsible surfaces to slow or stop a plane that overshoots a runway — though that’s considered a back-up option when there isn’t space for the kind of 1,000-foot buffer that MIA has at the end of the runway. — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2026

Verb

Legacy volume drops are heavily buffered by baseline take-or-pay cash guarantees. — Harvey Stober, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026

Today, its mangroves buffer Odisha’s vulnerable coastline against frequent cyclones and provide breeding grounds for fish, prawns, and crabs that sustain thousands of fisher families. — Kalpana Sunder, Christian Science Monitor, 8 Sep. 2026