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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as in stretched
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Recent Examples of padded
Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025
Chair massage, familiar to us from nail salons, Central Park, and airports, also takes place clothed, on a special padded chair—conditions that seemed poised to stymie efforts at showmanship.
—Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Twigs’ torso-baring bandeau top, meanwhile, perfectly framed her artful hair between padded shoulders.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025
This will be the first time since the first week of training camp the Dolphins entire offensive line will be intact because Austin Jackson broke a toe in his foot during the second padded practice of training camp and was shut down for a month.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
Ladies, leg warmers and padded shoulders have never looked better on you than when driving a TR7.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 5 Sep. 2025
The complex, situated near the middle and high school, would feature dugouts, a padded backstop, field lights, fencing and scoreboards, as well as a dual-lane batting cage.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2025
The padded arms are a nice touch, too—perfect for curling up with a book or using as an accent chair in the bedroom.
—Zoë Sessums, Architectural Digest, 2 Sep. 2025
The instrument also comes with a padded case, an adjustable shoulder rest and a free tuner.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 1 Sep. 2025
Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
The hosts padded their lead in the fourth.
—Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
The Phillies padded his start with an extra day in an attempt to change something.
—Matt Gelb, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
The cushions are thickly padded with a foam filling, and the chair comes with a matching accent pillow.
—Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2025
And because the project was never rebid, the public has no way to know whether the price is fair — or padded.
—Layla Law-Gisiko, New York Daily News, 16 Aug. 2025
The interior of the Huarache is fully padded.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
The Kroser Laptop Backpack is water-repellent and designed with a large primary pocket that’ll fit all your travel essentials without a second thought, and the back laptop pocket is well-padded with foam for an extra layer of protection.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 7 Aug. 2025
The Padres padded the back end of their starting rotation at the trade deadline with left-handers Sears and Cortes.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
The Lovevook Tote features a padded laptop compartment and multiple interior pockets, accommodating everything from a wallet to lip gloss.
—Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025
Chair massage, familiar to us from nail salons, Central Park, and airports, also takes place clothed, on a special padded chair—conditions that seemed poised to stymie efforts at showmanship.
—Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Twigs’ torso-baring bandeau top, meanwhile, perfectly framed her artful hair between padded shoulders.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025
This will be the first time since the first week of training camp the Dolphins entire offensive line will be intact because Austin Jackson broke a toe in his foot during the second padded practice of training camp and was shut down for a month.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
Ladies, leg warmers and padded shoulders have never looked better on you than when driving a TR7.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 5 Sep. 2025
The complex, situated near the middle and high school, would feature dugouts, a padded backstop, field lights, fencing and scoreboards, as well as a dual-lane batting cage.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2025
The padded arms are a nice touch, too—perfect for curling up with a book or using as an accent chair in the bedroom.
—Zoë Sessums, Architectural Digest, 2 Sep. 2025
The instrument also comes with a padded case, an adjustable shoulder rest and a free tuner.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
The lack of any real surprises or subversions along the way can be a drag, making the Prime Video miniseries feel a bit padded even at a relatively trim six hour-long episodes.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
The hosts padded their lead in the fourth.
—Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
The Phillies padded his start with an extra day in an attempt to change something.
—Matt Gelb, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
The cushions are thickly padded with a foam filling, and the chair comes with a matching accent pillow.
—Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2025
And because the project was never rebid, the public has no way to know whether the price is fair — or padded.
—Layla Law-Gisiko, New York Daily News, 16 Aug. 2025
The interior of the Huarache is fully padded.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
The Kroser Laptop Backpack is water-repellent and designed with a large primary pocket that’ll fit all your travel essentials without a second thought, and the back laptop pocket is well-padded with foam for an extra layer of protection.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 7 Aug. 2025
The Padres padded the back end of their starting rotation at the trade deadline with left-handers Sears and Cortes.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for padded
Adjective
-
Despite this pullback, the stock still trades at a stretched nine times trailing revenue—well above its historical average of three times.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The attendants’ mint green uniforms, shaped like the traditional Vietnamese national costume, áo dài, with embroidered lining said to be inspired by the railway tracks, accentuated the air of a bygone era.—
Anna Haines,
AFAR Media,
26 Aug. 2025
-
There are options for embroidered or printed basketball jerseys.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Digestive problems, such as an enlarged esophagus or colon, can lead to trouble eating or going to the bathroom.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Between 20% and 30% of people who contract Chagas disease could develop serious heart or digestive problems, risk getting an enlarged heart, colon or esophagus, or risk heart failure or cardiac arrest, per the CDC.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The look actually consists of two pieces–an embellished bustier and skirt, featuring another sweetheart neckline and accessorized with a birdcage veil in front and a cathedral length veil in the back.—
Alexandra Macon,
Vogue,
1 Sep. 2025
-
Gerber opted for a romantic Givenchy dress with a lace top and sheer embellished skirt, while Pullman dressed up in a bow tie and tuxedo.—
Michelle Lee,
People.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Years of delays and an inflated budget have damaged public and political faith in the project, but the past few years have seen progress—with construction happening throughout the state and tracklaying set to begin later this year.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
-
With pickup trucks exceeding $100K in some instances and 7-passenger Luxury SUVs having a base price even higher, the need for a basic-entry-level commuter is today’s craze to offset the overpriced and inflated automobile market.—
Marc D. Grasso,
Boston Herald,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Since the movie features an exaggerated take on real-life dating shows, what was your experience like filming a reality show within a movie?—
Carly Thomas,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Sep. 2025
-
But are those exaggerated reactions innate or learned?—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Getty Images The committee's move followed a June Federal Railroad Administration compliance review that concluded the California High-Speed Rail Authority lacked a viable path to complete the project on time or on budget and flagged overstated ridership projections and other management failures.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Padded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/padded. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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