cushion/soften the blow
idiom
: to make one's disappointment less painful
She was disappointed not to get the job, but the promise of another job cushioned/softened the blow.
Examples of cushion/soften the blow in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
On Thursday, Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira addressed the economic stimulus committee and announced plans to allocate 42 billion baht or $1.29 billion from a stimulus package to cushion the blow of any new U.S. tariff measures.
—
Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 25 July 2025
As Broward schools end a program that provided free lunches to all students, the School Board agreed Thursday to allocate a small amount — $500 per school — to help soften the blow.
—Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 22 July 2025
Some could choose to offer a portion of the rebate to cushion the blow.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 4 July 2025
Nonetheless, Apple has consistently demonstrated agility in pricing, effective supply chain management, and strong partnerships, which could soften the blow from tariffs and help push its stock back to the $250 levels seen earlier this year.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cushion/soften the blow
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.
Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 25 July 2025
As Broward schools end a program that provided free lunches to all students, the School Board agreed Thursday to allocate a small amount — $500 per school — to help soften the blow.
—Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 22 July 2025
Some could choose to offer a portion of the rebate to cushion the blow.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 4 July 2025
Nonetheless, Apple has consistently demonstrated agility in pricing, effective supply chain management, and strong partnerships, which could soften the blow from tariffs and help push its stock back to the $250 levels seen earlier this year.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cushion/soften the blow
Cite this Entry
“Cushion/soften the blow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cushion%2Fsoften%20the%20blow. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share