as in buffers
something that serves as a protective barrier
used a blanket as a cushion between the two tables in the moving van
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in softens
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 cushions
Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Jan. 2026
Vacuum the floor with the floor attachment and cushions with an upholstery attachment.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2026
Companies are creating cash cushions — also known as fortress balance sheets — to protect themselves from a possible downturn.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026
One of her favorite activities is solving puzzles with her family, and with children, sometimes that means pieces get lost in the couch cushions.
—Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025
Any home with pets and kids will benefit from popping this on to prevent stains and items from getting lost between cushions.
—Ali Faccenda, PEOPLE, 29 Dec. 2025
Backpacks, purses, laptop bags, camera bags, seat cushions and fanny packs.
—Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025
It’s made with a flexible and plush EVA midsole that cushions every step and absorbs shock keeping foot pain away.
—Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 22 Dec. 2025
The Litfun slippers are constructed with a thick memory foam footbed that gently cushions and supports your feet with each step, while the faux fur lining offers plenty of warmth for chilly days.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 18 Nov. 2025
There is polite applause as Cristian Romero cushions a ball from the sky.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that occurs when the cartilage that cushions the ends of bones breaks down over time.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 31 Oct. 2025
This high level of contract coverage provides strong earnings visibility and cushions the company against short-term freight rate volatility.
—Ankita Dhawan, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
As a three-piece, the band cushions their latest creations with percussive highlights.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
The solid wood legs offer ample support, while the foam cushions provide comfort for sleepers.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Jan. 2026
Vacuum the floor with the floor attachment and cushions with an upholstery attachment.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2026
Companies are creating cash cushions — also known as fortress balance sheets — to protect themselves from a possible downturn.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026
One of her favorite activities is solving puzzles with her family, and with children, sometimes that means pieces get lost in the couch cushions.
—Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025
Any home with pets and kids will benefit from popping this on to prevent stains and items from getting lost between cushions.
—Ali Faccenda, PEOPLE, 29 Dec. 2025
Backpacks, purses, laptop bags, camera bags, seat cushions and fanny packs.
—Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease characterized by the breakdown of cartilage—the smooth tissue that cushions the ends of bones.
—Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025
It’s made with a flexible and plush EVA midsole that cushions every step and absorbs shock keeping foot pain away.
—Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 22 Dec. 2025
The Litfun slippers are constructed with a thick memory foam footbed that gently cushions and supports your feet with each step, while the faux fur lining offers plenty of warmth for chilly days.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 18 Nov. 2025
There is polite applause as Cristian Romero cushions a ball from the sky.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that occurs when the cartilage that cushions the ends of bones breaks down over time.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 31 Oct. 2025
This high level of contract coverage provides strong earnings visibility and cushions the company against short-term freight rate volatility.
—Ankita Dhawan, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
As a three-piece, the band cushions their latest creations with percussive highlights.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cushions
Noun
-
Superpowers in a bipolar structure compete obsessively, creating spheres and buffers by cultivating protégés and installing puppets.—
JENNIFER LIND,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Dec. 2025
-
Zandi regards this spending as one of the last buffers preventing the slowdown from becoming self-reinforcing.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
January softens your heart while asking you to get honest about your emotional foundations.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
-
According to Day, Linen has a quiet quality which instantly warms and softens a space while creating a sense of ease and can make a room feel lived in and relaxed while still giving it a polished look.—
Nomita Vaish-Taylor,
The Spruce,
9 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
-
The network’s commercial bumpers — white text on a black background — would sometimes talk about what was happening behind the scenes, shouting out Titmouse by name, too.—
James Grebey,
Rolling Stone,
28 Nov. 2025
-
Andrew Barclay said of the annual Thanksgiving rush that puts car bumpers within inches of each other.—
Rick Hurd,
Mercury News,
24 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Putting the murder shortlist in one person’s hands, rather than letting the shields do the work of specifying who can be killed off, is a major change that gives the Secret Traitor a ton of power without a ton of explanation for their thinking.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Inspectors observed dead roaches in the light shields.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The view from behind the wheel is impressive, where the driver sees finger-thin A-pillars at either side of the broad windshield that overlooks two iconic fenders, a comically short dash, five true analog gauges, and little else.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
2 Jan. 2026
-
Pininfarina has also enlarged the side air intakes, visually emphasizing the rear fenders.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
16 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
In addition to grocery shoppers, think of the gym-goers and bus riders who retreat into personal sound cocoons with the help of headphones.—
Valerie Trapp,
The Atlantic,
4 Dec. 2025
-
Their shapes, textures, and colors informed the designs, resulting in structures that resemble metallic time portals, mirrored cocoons, and bright red woodland theaters.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
22 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cushions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cushions. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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