Definition of waddingnext
as in filling
soft material that is used to fill the hollow parts of something the last step is to fill the pillow with wadding and stitch it closed

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wadding

2 of 2

verb

present participle of wad
as in rolling
to form into a round compact mass she wadded up the paper and threw it in the wastebasket took the paper off the straw and wadded it up

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wadding
Noun
The star wore a Schiaparelli skirt set resembling rippling sand dunes through multiple layers of wadding and sandy shades. — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026 Lightweight knitwear, raw-edge brocades, stiff satin, dark sequins, 3D textural manipulations and exposed wadding will also feature in the collection. — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 16 Jan. 2026 The cellulosic cattail fiber is spun into wadding with a 20 percent binder currently made from a biodegradable poly filament, as used to secure those fibers together. — Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 24 Nov. 2025 The wadding that created those poofy numbers is made of sustainable wool, for example. — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2023 The kit comes with everything your astronaut friend needs, except for engines and recovery wadding. — Matt Jancer, Wired, 17 Nov. 2021 Dummy bullets had been replaced with cardboard wadding, but a portion from one of the dummy bullets had broken off and remained in the gun. — Melissa Mahtani, CNN, 25 Oct. 2021 However, even blanks can eject hot gases and paper or plastic wadding from the barrel that can be lethal at close range. — Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2021 Even blanks can eject hot gases and paper or plastic wadding from the barrel that can be lethal at close range. — CBS News, 23 Oct. 2021
Verb
The pieces are ultra-light, and eco-friendly, mixing recycled down and wadding padding. — Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026 Dryer balls also help prevent the duvet from wadding up on one side of the machine. — Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 31 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wadding
Noun
  • Along the way, the book becomes about something else—the care gifted by strangers who arrive miraculously, via form filling and phone calls, and then vanish for ever.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Spoon the remaining filling over the dough and use a spoon to spread to the edges, leaving a 1-inch border on the edge farthest from you.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Still, the game was tight for three-plus quarters because Denver couldn’t get its offense rolling, either.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
  • By 2025, the cameras were finally rolling, with Choi also serving as an executive producer.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The jobs most exposed to robotics tend to be physical, repetitive, and structured, including driving, warehousing, packing, and material handling.
    — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Versatile and sleek, it can be styled countless different ways with the accessories and shoes on your packing list, and it’s stocked in a wide range of sizes from S to 4XL.
    — Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Jordan Thompson-Woods and Jashawn Crayton both have several DI offers with Kentorian King (Colorado State) rounding out a strong receiving corps.
    — Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Five more will launch atop a Nuri next year, rounding out the constellation, according to Yonhap.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • But the drama of those big drum fills and everything was just something that that room gave us.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Lots at the center of campus fill faster than those on the campus outskirts.
    — Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • With the Bombers’ bullpen depleted, the junk-balling lefty didn’t allow a baserunner while recording a three-inning save after Cole hit the showers.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The second-year wide receiver, who spent 2025 on the Panthers’ practice squad after a short stint with the Cleveland Browns, has been balling this summer — no matter who has been throwing him the ball.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • To play the role, Cruise, as is his custom, has gone all in for the role and drastically transformed his appearance with facial prosthetics, thinning hair and belly-forward padding.
    — Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The Tigers put up padding on the area of the fence down the left field line and behind third base after Gelof’s collision.
    — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Wadding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wadding. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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