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as in exaggeration
the representation of something in terms that go beyond the facts
that feature writer is sometimes guilty of padding, since his stories often contain colorful details that can't be verified
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in exaggerating
to add to the interest of by including made-up details
the journalist was fired for padding certain stories to make them more interesting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in walking
to go on foot
a cat padded silently by
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of padding
Imran Khalid, Boston Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
The padding is removable for washing, however, and the material is easy to wipe down.
—New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2025
Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
Bob Hawkey, a Grant Thornton consultant, said the city has to work on convincing voters that the potential 1% tax hike won’t be about padding the budget, but about ensuring long-term financial stability.
—Hanna Kang, Oc Register, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for padding
Noun
Airlines face higher operating costs due to schedule padding and reroutes, while small businesses lose meetings and shipments when connections are disrupted.
—Imran Khalid, Boston Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
The padding is removable for washing, however, and the material is easy to wipe down.
—New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
Still, after whupping the White Sox 10-4 on Thursday night, Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger asserted that there's no shame in padding the record against low-quality competition, which is objectively true.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
Bob Hawkey, a Grant Thornton consultant, said the city has to work on convincing voters that the potential 1% tax hike won’t be about padding the budget, but about ensuring long-term financial stability.
—Hanna Kang, Oc Register, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for padding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for padding
Noun
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Public health advocates are also pushing to expand the scope of practice for dental therapists, mid-level providers who can perform fillings and extractions under supervision.—
Sixteen Ramos,
AZCentral.com,
6 Nov. 2025
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When an autopsy found lead pellets in his face, the sheriff said these might be dental fillings.—
Equal Justice Initiative,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The point wasn’t to trash the original but to honor it with affectionate exaggeration.—
David Denby,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
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Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter, the planet of expansion, exaggeration, and big-picture dreams.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
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However, unlike down, synthetic fill doesn’t lose any of its insulating properties while wet.—
Alice Bennett,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
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Lance Bass and husband Michael Turchin get their fill of Arby’s curly fries and mozzarella sticks at their Halloween bash.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Heart rate decreases during stretching, which could signify the body entering a calm state.—
Sarah Bence,
Verywell Health,
6 Nov. 2025
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Yoga, stretching, and extra sleep (past all the snoozes) become their own kind of training.—
JamiLee Hoglind,
Outside,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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After 60+ years of traveling, Trudi and Harvey Feinman have become experts in packing and more.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Nov. 2025
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Fill it to the brim, zip it up, then press down on the lid to activate an internal compression system that locks everything tightly in place, giving you up to 25% more packing capacity.—
Sal Vaglica,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Picture books of colorful flowers and plants, as well as seed catalogs, can be wonderful sources of memory enhancement.—
The San Diego Union Tribune,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Nov. 2025
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The new mining vehicle features engineering enhancements designed to overcome the challenges of the seabed.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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These cookies are all chocolate, no filler.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
1 Nov. 2025
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Courtesy of its super-dense filler (Styrofoam beans), this famous beanbag chair may be an investment, but its historic background is worth its high price tag.—
Erika Owen,
Architectural Digest,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Instead, Chenoweth finds the humanity inside the caricature, capturing the contradictions that made Jackie a pop-culture fascination — her drive for success, her humor, and yes, even her delusion to keep believing in a fantasy when the walls around her are literally crumbling.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
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Nathan and everyone else here is ideally supportive; the sole negativity comes from the parents, who come off as rather one-dimensional caricatures of glint-eyed intolerance in their few scenes.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Padding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/padding. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
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