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
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2026
In addition to multiple slip and zippered pockets found on the outside and throughout the inside, this tote has a keyring holder and a padded laptop pouch.
—Michelle Baricevic, Travel + Leisure, 14 Apr. 2026
This bra, for example, optimizes comfort via its wireless construction, lightly padded cups, ample coverage, and adjustable straps.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 7 Apr. 2026
The boys donned headgear and faced off, one on one, with padded sticks.
—Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
In the summer of 2018, early in the first padded scrimmage of their freshman years at Alabama, Surtain (running with the 1s) matched up with Waddle (running with the 2s) in the slot.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2026
The padded interior absorbs shock and reduces movement during storage or transport.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 21 Mar. 2026
The drill involves recruits elevating their heart rates through calisthenics and then simulating hand-to-hand combat with a physically aggressive suspect while wearing a padded suit for protection.
—Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
Choose one with a padded laptop sleeve for your tablet or e-reader loaded with scripts, episode guides, or location maps.
—Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Mar. 2026
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
Lindsey Heaps padded the United States’ advantage with another finish off a loose ball in the 48th minute.
—Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2026
Some economists — including Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell — argued that sentiment would eventually catch up to reality once Americans adjusted to higher prices, and paycheck gains padded their bank accounts.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2026
The roomy main compartment, zippered hanging pocket, and padded laptop sleeve mean everything has a place, so there’s no more digging around for your passport at the gate.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 4 Apr. 2026
Steyer, who’s polling ahead of Swalwell in some surveys, has reportedly padded his campaign coffers with more than $38 million of his own cash.
—Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Javier Sanoja’s two-RBI single in the third padded the lead.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
Javier Sanoja's two-RBI single in the third padded the lead.
—CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
On-ear headphones are larger and sit on a solid band that goes over your head with padded earpieces that sit on top of your ears.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2026
In addition to multiple slip and zippered pockets found on the outside and throughout the inside, this tote has a keyring holder and a padded laptop pouch.
—Michelle Baricevic, Travel + Leisure, 14 Apr. 2026
This bra, for example, optimizes comfort via its wireless construction, lightly padded cups, ample coverage, and adjustable straps.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 7 Apr. 2026
The boys donned headgear and faced off, one on one, with padded sticks.
—Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
In the summer of 2018, early in the first padded scrimmage of their freshman years at Alabama, Surtain (running with the 1s) matched up with Waddle (running with the 2s) in the slot.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2026
The padded interior absorbs shock and reduces movement during storage or transport.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 21 Mar. 2026
The drill involves recruits elevating their heart rates through calisthenics and then simulating hand-to-hand combat with a physically aggressive suspect while wearing a padded suit for protection.
—Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
Choose one with a padded laptop sleeve for your tablet or e-reader loaded with scripts, episode guides, or location maps.
—Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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
Lindsey Heaps padded the United States’ advantage with another finish off a loose ball in the 48th minute.
—Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2026
Some economists — including Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell — argued that sentiment would eventually catch up to reality once Americans adjusted to higher prices, and paycheck gains padded their bank accounts.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2026
The roomy main compartment, zippered hanging pocket, and padded laptop sleeve mean everything has a place, so there’s no more digging around for your passport at the gate.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 4 Apr. 2026
Steyer, who’s polling ahead of Swalwell in some surveys, has reportedly padded his campaign coffers with more than $38 million of his own cash.
—Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Javier Sanoja’s two-RBI single in the third padded the lead.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
Javier Sanoja's two-RBI single in the third padded the lead.
—CBS News, 1 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
-
Kate Flannery wears an embroidered gown to the Normal premiere with Mary Lynn Rajskub in Los Angeles on April 15.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
-
So, too, was Rita Ora's; the singer donned an embroidered naked dress for the event complete with a giant black bow and a massive hat covered in black feathers.—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The family of a 17-year-old Texas cheerleader has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a distributor of a popular energy drink, saying the teenager died from an enlarged heart caused by ingesting large amounts of caffeine.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Updates include an enlarged kitchen and a more expansive primary suite setup, including dual bathrooms and generous closet space — rare symmetry for a house from this period.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Shield little faces from the sun with embellished baseball hats -- styles so cute, kids will actually want to wear them.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The star embraced a futuristic look with embellished sunglasses, ear cuffs and a chin cuff.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The suit argued that Live Nation's exclusivity contracts, threats to rivals, and leveraging of market domination over artists breached antitrust laws, resulting in inflated prices and stifled competition.—
Kiana Mickles,
Pitchfork,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Attendees wearing cowboy hats line danced, petted fluffy white calves and posed for pictures in front of an inflated cactus.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Lizzy reflects on how their upbringing normalized bold, exaggerated aesthetics—from their mother's stage glamour to their father's own experimental looks.—
Brittany Talarico,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Laptop twee tries to pretend those simpler times are accessible, which makes for exaggerated, juvenile glee—a dishonest document of 2026, but a wildly appealing one.—
Samuel Hyland,
Pitchfork,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Maybe in some ways, kind of magnified.—
Hope Karnopp,
jsonline.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The da Vinci system gives surgeons a magnified view and robotic hands that never shake, enabling very precise surgical maneuvers.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
5 July 2022
Adjective
-
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
-
For the Fed, which was raising interest rates in 2023 and 2024, this meant that policy decisions may have been based on an overstated view of economic strength.—
Jeff Gapusan,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Padded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/padded. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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