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
Shawn Tully, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2026
The Tigers reeled off a 6-2 spurt, but 10 points each from Dailyn Swain and Jordan Pope still give the Longhorns a double-digit cushion.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 28 Jan. 2026
Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 16 Jan. 2026
Historically, experimenting with tech on Air Jordans has had mixed results — anyone who remembers the interchangeable cushioning units of the Air Jordan 22 or the swappable sockliners of the Air Jordan 27 can attest to as much.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cushion
Noun
Second, the Fed’s also lowering the cash cushions that banks must park at the central bank as reserves.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2026
The Tigers reeled off a 6-2 spurt, but 10 points each from Dailyn Swain and Jordan Pope still give the Longhorns a double-digit cushion.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
Each slipper’s lightweight design includes high-density memory foam insoles to support your feet and offer cushioning with each step.
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 16 Jan. 2026
Historically, experimenting with tech on Air Jordans has had mixed results — anyone who remembers the interchangeable cushioning units of the Air Jordan 22 or the swappable sockliners of the Air Jordan 27 can attest to as much.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cushion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cushion
Noun
-
Blinds and curtains act as a buffer between the cold air near the window and the interior of your home.—
Jonathan Limehouse,
USA Today,
24 Jan. 2026
-
This is because perspective-taking buffers escalation.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Add 1 large white onion, finely chopped, 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped, and a large pinch of kosher salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and translucent, 8–12 minutes.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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The lower house in the Dutch parliament approved a plan to scrap bonus restrictions for most financial sector staff, a major step in softening a rule that has long been excoriated by the industry.—
Sarah Jacob,
Bloomberg,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Once the pads came on, Suamataia took virtually every first-team rep at left tackle.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Even one of the greatest ever to play this game, Joe Root, could not work out how to break free of the 36-year-old’s shackles here, failing to score a single run off him for 23 balls in a row before finally yielding to the python-like grip when missing one that homed in on his pads.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
As an Earth-orbiting spacecraft descends, temperatures of up to 3,500°F bloom across the heat shield at the bottom of the capsule.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Or the good swarm comes to your aid and serves as your shield and protector.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
There are bumper plates and iron plates at waist-height, for easy lifting for all.—
Alexa Stone
January 23,
Kansas City Star,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Up front there’s a completely new bumper design, but production elements are still missing.—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cushion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cushion. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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