(slang, neologism, social media) The act or practice of someone entertaining other potential romantic options while in a committed relationship.
Baby Care Play Mat (Medium, Moroccan - Blue) 73 x 49 Original One-Piece Reversible Rollable Waterproof Play Mat for Infants, Babies, Toddler, and Kids #cushioning #baby #kids
if only you had some sort of slipper cushioning the blow. perhaps a plush cartoon character from a hit sitcom
(slang, neologism, social media) The act or practice of someone entertaining other potential romantic options while in a committed relationship.
“Baby Care Play Mat (Medium, Moroccan - Blue) 73 x 49 Original One-Piece Reversible Rollable Waterproof Play Mat for Infants, Babies, Toddler, and Kids #cushioning #baby #kids”
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Viral internet speak — memes, ratios, main-character moments, and the algospeak of every platform from Twitter to Reddit to TikTok comment sections.
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Browse all slang words starting with C.
Keeping a few casual connections warm while you're in a committed relationship, in case it falls apart and you need someone to "cushion" the blow. Morally ambiguous; more common than people admit. Often discussed in anonymous Reddit posts.
The professional version of romantic "cushioning": keeping your options warm — updating your CV, taking recruiter calls, freelancing on the side, nurturing a network — while still employed full-time, so that if your current job collapses you have a soft landing already in motion. The term spread through HR and LinkedIn commentary in 2022–23 against a backdrop of tech layoffs, hiring freezes and recession headlines, when even high-performers stopped trusting their employers to give them notice. Career cushioning is generally framed as a rational defensive move rather than disloyalty, and overlaps heavily with the rise of side hustles and "polyworking".
(slang, humorous) body fat or musculature on the buttocks area, seen as making someone (usually a woman) more buoyant and allowing more comfort, "cushion," during intercourse than bony hips would, and also providing more bounce.
Material used to cushion something.
“if only you had some sort of slipper cushioning the blow. perhaps a plush cartoon character from a hit sitcom”
(slang) An actual couch or sofa used for this practice.