as in to soften
to lessen the shock of
a substantial nest egg helped to cushion the sudden loss of her job
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cushion
Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 25 Mar. 2026
The Ducks remains atop the Pacific Division with a five-point cushion on the second-place Edmonton Oilers.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
Ella Whitman, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026
To cushion the impact, Japan released 15 days of private-sector oil stockpiles, followed by a month’s worth of supplies from the national reserves.
—Sheikh Saaliq, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cushion
Noun
If income varies, create a simple cushion by setting aside a small percentage whenever money comes in.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 25 Mar. 2026
The Ducks remains atop the Pacific Division with a five-point cushion on the second-place Edmonton Oilers.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
States that had already put strong pollution controls in place were able to cushion the blow of the federal cutbacks.
—Ella Whitman, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026
To cushion the impact, Japan released 15 days of private-sector oil stockpiles, followed by a month’s worth of supplies from the national reserves.
—Sheikh Saaliq, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cushion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cushion
Noun
-
Police are blocking a lane of traffic to keep a buffer between people and vehicles.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Funds typically have five or more years to deploy committed capital, providing a buffer against short-term market disruption.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The most flattering colors visually soften the skin and enhance its natural beauty.—
Andrea Carbajal,
Glamour,
31 Mar. 2026
-
On the other hand, taupe bags work just as well with bold color pairings, softening them with a sense of ease.—
Minty Mellon,
Vogue,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The first week of spring practice has come and gone for coach Tim Albin and the Charlotte 49ers, who put on pads for the first time Saturday morning.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Sleeping bags were permitted, but not pillows or pads.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The agency determined that gases that built up in the shield’s outer material did not vent properly, allowing pressure to accumulate.—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
26 Mar. 2026
-
And, often times, a shield who absorbed the criticism for the DeVos family.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Now, Uber is right on their bumper.—
Michael Butler,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
-
King allegedly backed his vehicle at slow speed into the detective vehicle’s bumper.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cushion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cushion. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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