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
Many forecasters expected Trump’s import fees to start trickling into prices last month while others figured the effects would be dampened by strategies intended to soften the blow.
—
Paul Davidson, USA Today, 12 June 2025
And 2) introduce new efforts to soften the blow, including offering loyalty points or discounts.
—Greg Petro, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Nvidia pledged on April 14 to produce up to $500 billion in AI infrastructure in the U.S. over the next four years — an initiative that could help soften the blow of any potential sectoral tariffs on chips and AI servers used in data centers.
—Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 8 May 2025
Wealthy producers may be able to cushion the blow
Earlier this year, the price for benchmark crude held steady around $73 a barrel, high enough to sustain the budgets of most producing nations.
—Neil MacFarquhar, New York Times, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cushion/soften the blow
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Paul Davidson, USA Today, 12 June 2025
And 2) introduce new efforts to soften the blow, including offering loyalty points or discounts.
—Greg Petro, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Nvidia pledged on April 14 to produce up to $500 billion in AI infrastructure in the U.S. over the next four years — an initiative that could help soften the blow of any potential sectoral tariffs on chips and AI servers used in data centers.
—Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 8 May 2025
Wealthy producers may be able to cushion the blow
Earlier this year, the price for benchmark crude held steady around $73 a barrel, high enough to sustain the budgets of most producing nations.
—Neil MacFarquhar, New York Times, 3 May 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 19 Jun. 2025.
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