cushion the blow

Meaning

This idiom means to make a bad situation, disappointment, or piece of negative news less severe or easier to accept. It is often used in business when delivering bad news to employees, clients, or stakeholders, or when planning mitigation strategies. The tone is empathetic but professional.

Examples

• The company offered generous severance packages to cushion the blow of the layoffs.

  The company offered generous severance packages to cushion the blow of the layoffs.

• We hoped that the good news about our profits would cushion the blow of the budget cuts.

  We hoped that the good news about our profits would cushion the blow of the budget cuts.

• To cushion the blow of the price increase, we are offering existing customers a discount.

  To cushion the blow of the price increase, we are offering existing customers a discount.

• She tried to cushion the blow by delivering the bad news gently and in person.

  She tried to cushion the blow by delivering the bad news gently and in person.

• The government introduced tax rebates to cushion the blow of rising energy costs.

  The government introduced tax rebates to cushion the blow of rising energy costs.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ They tried to soft the blow of the bad news.

  ✓ They tried to cushion the blow of the bad news.

  The correct idiom uses the verb 'cushion' (or sometimes 'soften'), but 'soft' is an adjective and cannot be used here as a verb.

• ✗ The manager cushioned the blow to the employees with a bonus.

  ✓ The manager cushioned the blow for the employees with a bonus.

  While you cushion the blow *of* something negative, if you are helping people, you cushion the blow *for* them.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Providing extra training options might help ___ of the restructuring.

  💡 make the negative impact less severe

  Show answer

  cushion the blow

• The CEO announced a bonus to ___ of the salary freezes.

  💡 soften the impact of bad news

  Show answer

  cushion the blow