cushion

American  

[koosh-uhn] / ˈkʊʃ ən /

noun

• cushions
  plural

1. a soft bag of cloth, leather, or rubber, filled with feathers, air, foam rubber, etc., on which to sit, kneel, or lie.

   Synonyms:

   pad

2. anything similar in form, used to dampen shocks or to prevent excessive pressure or chafing.

3. something to absorb or counteract a shock, jar, or jolt, as a body of air or steam.

   Synonyms:

   shock absorber

4. something that lessens the effects of hardship, distress, or the like.

   His inheritance was a cushion against unemployment.

5. Anatomy, Zoology. any part or structure resembling a cushion.

6. the resilient raised rim encircling the top of a billiard table.

7. a pad worn under the hair by women.

8. a portion of a radio or television script that can be adjusted in length or cut out altogether in order to end the program on time.

9. Ice Hockey, Canadian. the iced surface of a rink.

10. a pillow used in lacemaking.

11. a leather pad on which gold leaf is placed preparatory to gilding.

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verb (used with object)

• cushions,
  present (3rd person singular)
• cushioned,
  past participle,  past
• cushioning
  present participle

1. to place on or support by a cushion.

2. to furnish with a cushion or cushions.

3. to cover or conceal with, or as if with, a cushion.

4. to lessen or soften the effects of.

   to cushion the blow to his pride.

5. to suppress (complaints, lamentations, etc.) by quietly ignoring.

6. to check the motion of (a piston or the like) by a cushion, as of steam.

7. to form (steam or the like) into a cushion.

cushion British  

/ ˈkʊʃən /

noun

1. a bag made of cloth, leather, plastic, etc, filled with feathers, air, or other yielding substance, used for sitting on, leaning against, etc

2. something resembling a cushion in function or appearance, esp one to support or pad or to absorb shock

3. the resilient felt-covered rim of a billiard table

4. another name for pillow

5. short for air cushion

6. a capital, used in Byzantine, Romanesque, and Norman architecture, in the form of a bowl with a square top

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verb

1. to place on or as on a cushion

2. to provide with cushions

3. to lessen or suppress the effects of

4. to protect, esp against hardship or change

5. 1. to check the motion of (a mechanism) gently, esp by the compression of trapped fluid in a cylinder

   2. to provide with a means of absorbing shock

Usage

What does cushion mean? The word cushion most commonly refers to a soft object used to pad a surface or make it more comfortable to sit, stand, kneel, lie, or rest your head on. Couches have cushions that you sit on. A seat cushion is the kind on top of the seat of a chair. Pillows, mats, and pads are kinds of cushions. Cushions typically consist of a soft material filled with a soft or spongy substance, such as foam, feathers, or air (as in an air cushion)—anything that yields to pressure instead of remaining completely hard or firm. Example: The stuffing in these cushions needs to be replaced—look how flat they are. Another word for padding is cushioning. Something that has had a cushion or cushioning added to it can be described as cushioned. Something that is soft and comfortable like a cushion can be described as cushiony, as in Wow, this mattress is so soft and cushiony!As a noun, cushion can also be used in a figurative way to refer to a kind of buffer—something that helps to lessen the impact of negative circumstances or serves to delay such circumstances. An extra bit of money in your bank account for emergencies could be called a cushion. Cushion can also be used as a verb meaning to add cushions to or support with a cushion. It is commonly used in a more figurative way meaning to soften or lessen the impact of something. The mats used by gymnasts are intended to cushion their falls. In a literal sense, the verb phrase cushion the blow means to absorb the force from a strike, such as a punch, and lessen its effect. It is commonly used in a more figurative way, in which blow refers to the negative impact or consequences of something, as in I know the kids will be disappointed that the party is cancelled, but hopefully ice cream will cushion the blow.

Synonym Usage

Cushion, pillow, bolster agree in being cases filled with a material more or less resilient, intended to be used as supports for the body or parts of it. A cushion is a soft pad used to sit, lie, or kneel on, or to lean against: cushions on a sofa; cushions on pews in a church. A pillow is a bag or case filled with feathers, down, or other soft material, usually to support the head: to sleep with a pillow under one's head. A bolster is a firm pillow, long enough to extend the width of a bed and used as head support, with or without a pillow.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• cushionless
  adjective
• cushionlike
  adjective
• cushiony
  adjective
• uncushioned
  adjective
• well-cushioned
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• cushions
  plural

Participles

• cushioning
  present
• cushioned
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• cushion
  simple
• cushions
  simple
• have cushioned
  perfect
• has cushioned
  perfect
• am cushioning
  progressive
• are cushioning
  progressive
• is cushioning
  progressive
• have been cushioning
  perfect progressive
• has been cushioning
  perfect progressive

Past

• cushioned
  simple
• had cushioned
  perfect
• was cushioning
  progressive
• were cushioning
  progressive
• had been cushioning
  perfect progressive

Future

• will cushion
  simple
• will have cushioned
  perfect
• will be cushioning
  progressive
• will have been cushioning
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of cushion

1300–50; Middle English cuisshin < Anglo-French; Middle French coussin ≪ Latin cōx ( a ) hip + -īnus -ine ¹; see coxa

Explanation

Fabric filled with foam, feathers, or other padding material makes a cushion, which can be used to make something like a chair or sofa more comfortable. The noun cushion can also refer to anything that is used to soften an impact or absorb shocks. In modern cars, for example, sometimes in a crash or accident, air bags will deploy and act as cushions for the passengers to prevent them from injuring themselves on hard surfaces like the dashboard or steering wheel. A cushion isn't necessarily a physical one, however, as you may want to keep an emergency fund as a cushion in case of unexpected expenses. As a verb, cushion means to protect from the impact of negative information so if you have bad news, you'll want to cushion the blow as much as possible.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cushion cushions cushioned cushioning

Singapore's government has said it expects global demand related to artificial intelligence will help cushion the city state's economy from the impact of war in the Middle East.

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

In a July report, Fitch Ratings said the eight nontraded BDCs it covers have enough cushion to keep paying 5% quarterly redemptions over the next year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026

The “safe” bond slice of your target-date fund, the part meant to cushion the ride, is stuffed with U.S.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026

Even as Iran tightened its grip on Hormuz, Saudi Arabia was able to cushion the blow—to itself and the global economy—by rerouting some 4 million barrels of oil a day to the Red Sea.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

Mr. Smiley, startled to see the kids, hastily stuffed an empty cellophane cookie bag behind the couch cushion before flashing them a guilty smile.

From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser

But I have somehow assembled enough glittering people and enough secondhand objects — a woven rug, cushions, low tables, an impossible number of candles — that it feels like a tiny seventh-floor pop-up restaurant.

From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026

She still uses liquid, but has added the tile to her laundry tool kit—for items like the curtains and cushions in her living room.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026

The mission used inflatable cushions to pull it to the surface before dragging it back to the North Sea on a floating platform.

From BBC ● May 31, 2026

The disease gradually wears down the cartilage that cushions joints.

From Science Daily ● May 22, 2026

I leaned back into the cushions, running my finger around the glass rim.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas

Still, the impact is likely to be cushioned by stronger net interest margins and capital optimization measures, the analyst says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

Kozack said the shock was having an "asymmetric impact," with some developed economies and oil-exporting countries relatively cushioned while others were struggling to manage rising import bills.

From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026

Yet a loss of buffers that cushioned supply disruptions in recent weeks could spark the next significant move higher for prices.

From MarketWatch ● May 18, 2026

An underappreciated surplus of crude oil, sloshing around storage tanks and aboard ships, cushioned the global economy when the Persian Gulf closed 2½ months ago.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026

His sobs were soft, cushioned by the long way they had come, the long time they had taken to arrive.

From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg

But there were still cushioning factors, it added.

From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026

Mother Mary, then, has just reached her rock bottom, with Sam’s good graces barely cushioning her fall.

From Salon ● Apr. 24, 2026

So that’s what is cushioning much of the initial hit to households from higher gas prices, Skordeles says.

From Barron's ● Apr. 8, 2026

Providing unskilled public work across all but fully urban districts, the scheme has become a backbone of rural livelihoods, cushioning demand during economic shocks.

From BBC ● Dec. 22, 2025

Rows and rows of waiting seats are padded in orange and purple plush cushioning.

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins

Related Words

• bolster
• dampen
• insulate
• soften