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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
Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 19 Feb. 2026
The harder path is choosing pressure over padding.
—Julio Martínez, Fortune, 13 Feb. 2026
Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 23 Oct. 2025
This direction—padding the ensemble with social-media-friendly faces—represents more of a nudge toward the future than a massive overhaul.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for padding
Noun
Excess water or cleaning solutions can soak into the padding underneath, which opens up a whole other host of issues (think mold growth and structural damage to fibers).
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 19 Feb. 2026
The harder path is choosing pressure over padding.
—Julio Martínez, Fortune, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
Although Cameron maintains a steady polling advantage over Barr, third-quarter filings show he’s fallen further behind in padding his campaign coffers ahead of the May 2026 primary.
—Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 23 Oct. 2025
This direction—padding the ensemble with social-media-friendly faces—represents more of a nudge toward the future than a massive overhaul.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for padding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for padding
Noun
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Holland had cooked the vegetarian and chicken fillings for the dumplings, minced almost to a paste, three nights earlier, and purchased enough dumpling wrapper packs from the grocery store to make 500 in total.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
26 Feb. 2026
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Slap the crust in a cast iron skillet and fill it up with the comforting chicken filling!—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Who knew what other wild exaggerations Wise had chosen to believe?—
Nicholas Lemann,
New Yorker,
21 Feb. 2026
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That may be somewhat an exaggeration, at least for audience members who recognize Thornton Wilder’s many references to ancient literature and history.—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The players reportedly enjoyed more than $150,000 in champagne and helped get the fans around them their fill of the bubbly.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
24 Feb. 2026
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The Raptors could use Walter getting to the high 30s from deep, but his low-usage, fill-the-gaps game is exactly what is needed around the likes of Brandon Ingram, Barrett and Barnes, who are all used to having the ball.—
Eric Koreen,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Research into stretching and blood sugar is limited, but studies have had promising results.—
Julia Ries Wexler,
Health,
25 Feb. 2026
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Another candidate, this one for a high-level position, was doing a lot of stretching, Nibler said.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Compression packing cubes are, hands down, the most important accessory in my carry-on-only routine.—
Kayla Kitts,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Feb. 2026
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The poster of the Big East regular-season championship trophy that sits on an easel courtside at UConn’s practice facility was battered, held together by a roll’s worth of clear packing tape at the start of the week.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The tiny tip gives you flexibility to fill and shape your brows for a bold look or something more minimal with just a little enhancement and color.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
20 Feb. 2026
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Grapevine Vintage Railroad is opening back up for the 2026 season this weekend after its yearly six-week pause for maintenance and enhancements.—
Rick Mauch,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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By this point, Jordan had also become certified to perform fillers for himself and on others.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Feb. 2026
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Dumplings are also used to describe fluffy matzoh balls or other European soup fillers, like kreplach.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Often employing caricature, distortion and symbolism to communicate anxiety and resistance, his works are personal and political, offering a critique of the systems that oppress people of color.—
Evan Nicole Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
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Yet this caricature of Jackson as an anti-white, anti-Semitic demagogue never reflected the man.—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Padding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/padding. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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