buffer 1 of 2

noun

ˈbə-fər How to pronounce buffer (audio)
Definition of buffernext
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

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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

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of buffer
Noun
As a result, pilots regularly ignore the 1,000-foot buffer, flying dangerously close to residential high-rises and local schools. — Janet Handal, New York Daily News, 13 July 2026 Using that engine, the Neo Geo code then makes a kind of proto frame buffer out of the console’s fix layer, an area of display memory that’s usually used to display menus and HUD information on top of gameplay. — Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 13 July 2026
Verb
Strong coastal upwelling — which brings cool, nutrient-rich water to the surface — could help buffer parts of the West Coast from the worst impacts, according to NOAA Fisheries. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 2 July 2026 Why your streaming keeps buffering Internet service providers handle enormous amounts of traffic. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for buffer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buffer
  1. mediator
  2. pad
  3. soften
  4. negotiator
  5. shield
  6. cushion
  7. intermediary
  8. bumper
Noun
  • Iran also broadened its retaliatory strikes, hitting Bahrain, Kuwait and mediator Qatar.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
  • This is creating an entirely new way of communicating, where autonomous systems act as mediators in our online engagement.
    — Sammy Ahmed, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of mediator
Noun
  • The Raptor 3s on that mission experienced in-flight issues, but the startup sequence on the launch pad went off without a hitch.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026
  • Some companies are already using the SEC as the launching pad for their event contracts.
    — Ananya Chetia,Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 16 July 2026
Definition of pad
Verb
  • In recent months, with his cancer diagnosis now public, his attitude had softened and the prospect of him coming back to the stadium was dangling.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • Let your shoes soften the look, while the rest of your accessories—like a designer bag and statement jewelry—do all the heavy lifting.
    — India Roby, Glamour, 21 July 2026
Definition of soften
Noun
  • Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance — the administration’s lead negotiator with Iran — has suggested that military force alone won’t be enough to fully dismantle Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz.
    — Jomana Karadsheh, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
  • An Iranian negotiator said Tehran was suspending its commitments to the interim deal signed about a month ago and aimed at permanently ending the fighting.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 July 2026
Definition of negotiator
Noun
  • The particles pose one of the more severe threats for human activities in space, Brandt said, but the boundary of the heliosphere acts as a shield to protect our solar system from 70% of them.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
  • That’s why researchers are engineering the cancer-fighting cells to be smarter, and stronger, with a better sugar shield.
    — Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
Definition of shield
Verb
  • Large foreign inflows at the start of the year, low debt levels, and a government spending surge helped cushion the economy.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 14 July 2026
  • Advertisement Even while carrying an extraordinary load—from mobilization and reconstruction to displacement and missile defense—the Israeli government moved to cushion the households closest to the blast.
    — Frayda Leibtag, Time, 13 July 2026
Definition of cushion
Noun
  • Baleba remains the oven-ready Premier League option In August 2025, United used intermediaries to explore a deal for Carlos Baleba with Brighton.
    — Carl Anka, New York Times, 9 July 2026
  • The margin previously fragmented across intermediaries flows back, in meaningful part, to the carrier that orchestrated the trip.
    — Somit Goyal, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of intermediary
Noun
  • The Equinox driver then lost control and veered hard to the left, striking the rear passenger side bumper of a 2024 Mitsubishi Eclipse that was in the center lane, state police said.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 20 July 2026
  • Oil prices were higher on Friday, firmly on track to register bumper weekly gains.
    — Sam Meredith,Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 17 July 2026
Definition of bumper

Browse Nearby Words

buffed
buffer
buffered
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Cite this Entry

“Buffer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buffer. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on buffer

Nglish: Translation of buffer for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about buffer

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