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

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Bündchen did give Brady a heads-up, per TMZ, but that didn’t seem to soften the blow of the reports. —

Justin Curto, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2024 To soften the blow, the city will deal out up to $15 million annually to small businesses and the personal property tax exemption for smaller companies will go from $10,000 to $30,000. —

Mike Deehan, Axios, 23 Oct. 2024 Each independently offered a similar theory: The hiring manager is trying, very clumsily, to soften the blow. —

Sarah Green Carmichael, Twin Cities, 2 Aug. 2024 Some leaders begin with less relevant statements to soften the blow, but folks can feel misled when the tough news comes behind it. —

Expert Panel®, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cushion/soften the blow

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“Cushion/soften the blow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cushion%2Fsoften%20the%20blow. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

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