cushioning 1 of 3

noun

Definition of cushioningnext
as in buffer
something that serves as a protective barrier put plenty of cushioning around that bottle of wine if you're going to carry it home in your suitcase

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cushioning

2 of 3

adjective

as in softening

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

cushioning

3 of 3

verb

present participle of cushion
as in buffering
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

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 cushioning
Noun
The Air Max Plus was designed by Sean McDowell and first released in 1998, serving as an introduction to Nike’s latest cushioning breakthrough, Tuned Air. — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 4 Oct. 2026 Offering max-level cushioning without the bulk, these sneakers are easy to pair with plenty of pieces in your travel wardrobe and add a dose of personality that’s bound to draw compliments. — Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 28 Sep. 2026
Adjective
And in many cases, the brand’s modern reissues are actually downgraded with less cushioning and lower quality materials as cost-cutting measures. — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
Kostoulas makes room away from the challenging Pinnock by cushioning a header into his own path. — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 The script by Strippoli and Salvatore de Chirico shrewdly underplays that hand, instead cushioning the vanity factor in sincere parental concern for the children’s health, well-being and preordained path to success. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cushioning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cushioning
  1. buffer
  2. emollient
  3. softening
  4. cushion
  5. compassionate
  6. pad
  7. shield
  8. bumper
Noun
  • With both producing and consuming nations approaching the limits of their available policy tools, operational buffers are rapidly narrowing.
    — , CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Saliva constantly flushes food debris and buffers acid, so chronic dryness tilts the environment toward decay.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of buffer
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, emollient vitamin E and softening jojoba seed oil condition your natural nails, leaving them (and the skin around them) feeling softer and more hydrated.
    — Sarah Felbin, Allure, 30 Apr. 2026
  • The formula is infused with emollient fatty acids to help support the skin’s moisture barrier, while its semi-sheer finish ensures a soft glow—far from the heavy-handed bronzer looks of the mid-2010s.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2025
Definition of emollient
Verb
  • In the late 1970s, Giorgio Armani stripped the structure out of the traditional suit, softening its shoulders and loosening its trousers.
    — John Vorwald, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Even with used vehicle prices softening slightly, high borrowing costs keep monthly payments out of reach for many prospective buyers.
    — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of softening
Noun
  • The young man who bonds with the ghost of his a–hole father while trapped in a gooey cushion of whale intestines stays with the ghost of his a–hole father.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • In an ornate Italian Renaissance-style room, participants sit scattered across couches and cushions, cross-legged with their eyes closed.
    — Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of cushion
Adjective
  • The far left's open borders policy was not fair or compassionate.
    — WCCO Staff, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Judges could sometimes consider changes to the law when deciding whether to grant compassionate release to inmates who had served at least 10 years.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of compassionate
Noun
  • Not all of those flights will originate from Starbase, which hosts two orbital pads.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • That same dock features Vortex Wash, which automatically cleans the robot’s dirty wiping pads in about a minute.
    — Matthew Huff, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of pad
Noun
  • Swarms of police officers descended from helicopters and beat them with billy clubs and metal shields.
    — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The jail has issued inmates Android tablets and Englert says some have turned the heat shields into blades.
    — Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of shield
Noun
  • His car was at a stoplight when a man outside grabbed the bumper and began rocking it up and down.
    — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Front and rear bumpers can be easily detached from bodywork to allow cheap replacement after low-speed dents.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of bumper

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Cushioning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cushioning. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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