BUFFER Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

buffer 1 of 2

noun

ˈbə-fər

Definition of buffer

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

Relevance

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

Earlier this year, tariff refunds provided a temporary cost buffer for Home Depot, but company executives noted that these gains are expected to be offset by unplanned spikes in fuel, energy, and other input costs. — CNBC, 21 Sep. 2026 Forests, wetlands and mangroves store carbon at scale, buffer storm surge, and stabilize the soils and waters that economies depend on. — Marcene Mitchell, Fortune, 20 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 See All Example Sentences for buffer

Recent Examples of Synonyms for buffer

Noun

Friday’s impasse approval will bring in a third-party mediator to oversee negotiations between the two parties, who each blame the other for failing to bargain productively.

— Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Pakistan sought to establish itself as a mediator earlier this year, working with other countries in the region to end the conflict.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of mediator

Verb

Earlier this year, the EU softened its corporate sustainability disclosure rules and adjusted its carbon pricing framework.

— Justin Worland, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
DedCool understood the assignment and included a warm base of Australian sandalwood, amber, and white musk to soften the scent.

— Vivien Lee, InStyle, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of soften

Noun

The Virginia State Police tactical team and a negotiator were brought to the scene.

— Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 1 Oct. 2026
Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who served as chief negotiator in earlier talks with the United States, provided a rare public acknowledgment of the internal divide.

— Cara Anna, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of negotiator

Noun

Therapists begin facials with face-scanning wands and other probes, to measure your lipid shield, pigmentation, hydration and elasticity, and then cater their approach to the precise needs of your skin in that moment.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
In Paris, tear gas filled the air, and trash cans, school desks and chairs were set alight as riot police with shields and batons clashed with some demonstrators.

— Melissa Bell, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of shield

Noun

Boeing sells products to Israel both directly and through the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, under which the US government acts as an intermediary, procuring equipment from the company for sale to Israel.

— Allegra Goodwin, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
By automating tasks that once required human discretion, rulers can replace unreliable intermediaries with faithful algorithms that cannot be bribed or manipulated.

— Seva Gunitsky, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of intermediary

Noun

So by the time Max was 3 years old, he was already plopped into a kid kart inside the speedway’s shipping and receiving warehouse while being pulled around with a bungee cord tied to the front bumper.

— Tyler Carmona, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
This controller uses Scuf's latest non-slip wraparound bumpers that have more surface area than before.

— George Yang, PC Magazine, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of bumper

Browse Nearby Words

buffed

buffer

buffered

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Buffer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buffer. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of buffer

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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