cushioned

verb

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 cushioned Hit your late 70s though, and you are not cushioned from bereavement. — Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 21 Oct. 2026 The leather ballet pumps are soft, cushioned, and comfortable straight out of the box. — Kaelin Dodge, InStyle, 16 Oct. 2026 This one’s faux-fur trim and lining and cushioned Skechers Memory Foam™ footbed will keep their feet incredibly toasty. — Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 7 Oct. 2026 The tall footwear silhouette is crafted from goat leather and cushioned with a memory foam insole. — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026 The heel is generously cushioned for extra impact absorption, an asset to any frequent or long-distance runners. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026 When packing bananas in your bag, make sure they’re cushioned and not packed too tightly to avoid splitting. — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2026 Cheng Xin | Getty Images China's consumer and wholesale inflation rebounded in August, as higher global commodity costs and surging high-tech demand cushioned persistently tepid domestic consumption. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026 Wall Street’s own economists find that the households most exposed to AI’s risks are also the ones cushioned by stock portfolios large enough to absorb them. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cushioned
softened
Verb
  • Spread in one layer, then roast until the peppers have softened, about 15 minutes.
    — Candy Hom, AJC.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Some of the most prominent voices warning about AI job losses have softened their tone.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of softened

Browse Nearby Words

cushion
cushioned
cushioning
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cushioned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cushioned. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All