cushion 1 of 2

as in buffer
something that serves as a protective barrier used a blanket as a cushion between the two tables in the moving van

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cushion

2 of 2

verb

as in to soften
to lessen the shock of a substantial nest egg helped to cushion the sudden loss of her job

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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 cushion
Noun
That $21 million profit amounts to less than a 1% net margin—barely a cushion if circumstances take a downturn. Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025 Some lower-end massage cushions will last a few years, while high-end massage chairs can last upward of 20 years. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
While there's no way to prevent the incoming crisis, there are some things that health systems can do to cushion the blow. Alexis Kayser, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025 The non-slip sole has traction that enhances stability with each step, and the soft footbed helps cushion your feet all day. Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 14 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cushion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cushion
Noun
  • Bipartisan traditions in appropriations could provide a buffer.
    Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Adding green space and planting evergreen trees on the north side of the property, forming more of a buffer from surrounding properties.
    Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • What’s more, a lot of Americans still have mortgage rates that are low enough to make the idea of a move daunting, and affordability overall hasn’t improved much even as the economy has softened.
    Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
  • The economic environment remains foggy, with uncertainty around tariffs and a labor market that, while softening in some areas, remains remarkably resilient in others.
    Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The SomniBuds are powered by a slim, soft pad that can go under your pillow, mattress, or headboard – up to about 2-3 ft (under 1 m) away at the most.
    Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Swipe the wonderfully oversized, self-neutralizing pads over your face and chest and get ready to meet a new level of luminosity—and maybe a new fling.
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • But that valid concern cannot become a shield used to deflect from real and rising threats.
    Andrew Weinstein, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The first 21 satellites in a constellation that could become a cornerstone for the Pentagon's Golden Dome missile-defense shield were successfully launched from California on Wednesday aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Ars reports.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The debut demonstrated how Wall Street is becoming more welcoming of bumper fintech listings.
    Ryan Browne, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2025
  • The image revealed the car brutally smashed up, missing its right headlight and with its bumper hanging off.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Cushion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cushion. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.

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