as in stretched
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as in exaggerated
to add to the interest of by including made-up details
the journalist was fired for padding certain stories to make them more interesting
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Recent Examples of padded
Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 6 May 2026
Suspect Cole Tomas Allen was confined to a padded cell with constant lighting and repeatedly strip-searched; the judge noted the jail houses convicted killers without such restrictions.
—Michael Kunzelman, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2026
Lawyers for Allen said he was placed on suicide watch shortly after arriving at jail last week, meaning he was held in a padded cell with the lights on constantly and no access to a phone or tablet.
—Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 5 May 2026
For just $40, these ballet flats are practically a steal—especially considering they’re made for comfort with padded insoles, slip-resistant outsoles, and an adjustable fit.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 3 May 2026
Slaton and Lovvorn met at a concert in the park, got engaged inside the padded room of a haunted house in winter 2024, and have since vowed to spend forever together.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
Bandit had been monitored in a specialized, padded holding area in the zoo’s medical facility to ensure his safety and comfort.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
The pair collided with such force that Dumoulin got knocked up about two feet in the air before landing hard on his padded backside.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 27 Apr. 2026
This travel pet carrier has dual side openings and a padded foam handle for a comfortable grip.
—Jessie Quinn, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026
State House News Service, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
The Victorian-style bodice of the royal’s gown was also padded at the hips and narrowed at the waist, a signature design element of McQueen.
—Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
The curved and recessed arms are comfortable and add softness to the design, and the seat and back are padded with thick foam that’s supportive and won’t crush with use.
—Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2026
Ramos padded the lead in the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026
My year is pretty padded out with a bunch of appearances and shows and tours.
—Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
Singles from Marsee in the fourth and Ramírez in the fifth padded the lead.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
The inner hook is padded to prevent damage to the wheel.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
As gas prices continue to cause consternation for many drivers, visiting the pump has padded the wallet of at least one person in Southern California.
—Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The blue padded insole is hot-stamped with the house’s signature in gold.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 6 May 2026
Suspect Cole Tomas Allen was confined to a padded cell with constant lighting and repeatedly strip-searched; the judge noted the jail houses convicted killers without such restrictions.
—Michael Kunzelman, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2026
Lawyers for Allen said he was placed on suicide watch shortly after arriving at jail last week, meaning he was held in a padded cell with the lights on constantly and no access to a phone or tablet.
—Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 5 May 2026
For just $40, these ballet flats are practically a steal—especially considering they’re made for comfort with padded insoles, slip-resistant outsoles, and an adjustable fit.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 3 May 2026
Slaton and Lovvorn met at a concert in the park, got engaged inside the padded room of a haunted house in winter 2024, and have since vowed to spend forever together.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
Bandit had been monitored in a specialized, padded holding area in the zoo’s medical facility to ensure his safety and comfort.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
The pair collided with such force that Dumoulin got knocked up about two feet in the air before landing hard on his padded backside.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 27 Apr. 2026
This travel pet carrier has dual side openings and a padded foam handle for a comfortable grip.
—Jessie Quinn, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026
Verb
Representatives also padded their budget with policy.
—State House News Service, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
The Victorian-style bodice of the royal’s gown was also padded at the hips and narrowed at the waist, a signature design element of McQueen.
—Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
The curved and recessed arms are comfortable and add softness to the design, and the seat and back are padded with thick foam that’s supportive and won’t crush with use.
—Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2026
Ramos padded the lead in the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026
My year is pretty padded out with a bunch of appearances and shows and tours.
—Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
Singles from Marsee in the fourth and Ramírez in the fifth padded the lead.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
The inner hook is padded to prevent damage to the wheel.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
As gas prices continue to cause consternation for many drivers, visiting the pump has padded the wallet of at least one person in Southern California.
—Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for padded
Adjective
-
Once activated, the Fe-SMA bars aim to shrink back to their pre-stretched shape.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Feb. 2026
-
It’s formulated with calcium to promote new cell growth, adenosine to fill in wrinkles, collagen to maintain your skin’s density and thickness, elastin to restore stretched skin, and Vitamin D for rejuvenation.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Odessa A'zion's custom Valentino look featured a floral bra, bustier and matching cape detailed with sequin and embroidered flowers.—
Hedy Phillips,
PEOPLE,
5 May 2026
-
Additionally, the set arrives in an elegant box and is complemented by a stylish and embroidered pocket carrying case as well as a matching keychain.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Reportedly, this expansion is supported by hardware upgrades, including a more powerful, multi-stage Long March 5B rocket with an enlarged payload fairing.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
1 May 2026
-
Buckingham Palace announced in February 2024 that Charles had a form of cancer, discovered after a corrective procedure for an enlarged prostate.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Silk, velvet, wool blends, and heavily lined or embellished curtains, however, are better off with professional dry cleaning.—
Shagun Khare,
The Spruce,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Similar to Cashmere garments, Dills recommends treating your embellished items like a luxury item since hotter temperatures can ruin these pieces.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Visitors mill around the town statue of Richard Warren, Widow’s Bay’s first mayor, who was then known as Lord Protector of the Island, which seems like a really inflated job title.—
Jen Chaney,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
-
If your summer vacation budget is straining under inflated gas prices and airfare, these deals may provide relief.—
Jason Stauffer,
CNBC,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
Others, pointing to the younger age profile of some Gaeltacht communities and the modest growth of urban Irish-speaking households, call predictions of the imminent demise of the language greatly exaggerated.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
4 May 2026
-
That moment, however, didn’t come without criticism, and Seymour still remembers the sharp commentary that came as a result of the exaggerated hairstyle.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
3 May 2026
Adjective
-
Pending any video challenges in their season finale on Tuesday night versus Anaheim, the Wild will take a perfect review record into the playoffs, where every goal or potential no goal becomes more magnified.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Maybe in some ways, kind of magnified.—
Hope Karnopp,
jsonline.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Some of it is deserved, some of it is a little overstated.—
David Troy OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Carmakers registered $65 billion in write-offs globally as companies were forced to overhaul their EV investments, squeezed by a pivot in US climate policy and an overstated enthusiasm for the green transition.—
Natasha Bracken,
semafor.com,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Padded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/padded. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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