as in to soften
to lessen the shock of
a substantial nest egg helped to cushion the sudden loss of her job
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cushion
Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 27 Feb. 2025
When Rice’s 3-pointer and Queen’s two free throws cut the deficit to 52-48, redshirt freshman point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. hit a 3-pointer to give Michigan State a 55-48 cushion with 3:12 remaining.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 27 Feb. 2025
Kristen Lopez, Variety, 7 Feb. 2025
Early in the third period, a wild sequence saw the two sides trade sterling chances before the Ducks cushioned their lead off McTavish’s second goal of the evening.
—Andrew Knoll, Orange County Register, 24 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cushion
Noun
The talent gap was evident early, as the Knicks jumped out to a 24-12 lead and maintained a comfortable double-digit cushion for most of the second and third quarters.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 27 Feb. 2025
When Rice’s 3-pointer and Queen’s two free throws cut the deficit to 52-48, redshirt freshman point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. hit a 3-pointer to give Michigan State a 55-48 cushion with 3:12 remaining.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 27 Feb. 2025
Verb
If the argument is disabled talent isn’t bankable, the inclusion of a talented actor or director can cushion having an unknown in the feature.
—Kristen Lopez, Variety, 7 Feb. 2025
Early in the third period, a wild sequence saw the two sides trade sterling chances before the Ducks cushioned their lead off McTavish’s second goal of the evening.
—Andrew Knoll, Orange County Register, 24 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cushion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cushion
Noun
-
The impact on manufacturers may not be felt by consumers immediately because of this front loading; however, if the tariffs stay in place, the buffer created by inventory buildup can only last so long.—
JJ Kinahan,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
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External buffers in Mexico are strong and debt-to-GDP ratio is moderate.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
4 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The new tariffs on Canada and Mexico had previously been on a monthlong pause, and many critics hoped that they would be softened, or eliminated, before their deadline to resume.—
Kevin Breuninger,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2025
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Acting as a deeply hydrating treatment, this formula softens and soothes the skin like a dream.—
Denise Primbet,
Glamour,
5 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The 400-foot-tall Starship system rocketed off the launch pad at SpaceX’s Starbase site near Brownsville, Texas, at 6:30 p.m. ET for its eighth test flight.—
Denise Chow,
NBC News,
7 Mar. 2025
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Repeating a feat SpaceX accomplished with Starship twice before, the rocket's Super Heavy booster separated from the Starship upper stage roughly two-and-a-half minutes into the flight, then guided itself back to the Texas coastline for a catch by mechanical arms on the launch pad's tower.—
Stephen Clark,
Ars Technica,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The rest of the page displays a laundry list of what these shields involve.—
PCMAG,
PCMAG,
4 Mar. 2025
-
When cops made their first attempt to get inside, Rivera shot at them, hitting an officer’s ballistic shield, police said.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
3 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Made of thick vinyl material that slips into a machine-washable cover, these portable bed bumpers anchor in place with the child's weight.—
Ramona Saviss,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Mar. 2025
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The bumper is made of thermoplastic elastomer and is slightly raised (though not enough to adequately protect the screen).—
Julian Chokkattu,
WIRED,
28 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cushion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cushion. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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