Synonyms of padding

padding 1 of 3

noun

ˈpa-diŋ 

1

as in filling

soft material that is used to fill the hollow parts of something

the padding is leaking out of that pillow

Synonyms & Similar Words

• filling
• fill
• packing
• filler
• lining
• wadding
• stuffing
• pad
• quilting
• cushion
• buffer
• bumper
• fender
• interlining

2

as in exaggeration

the representation of something in terms that go beyond the facts

that feature writer is sometimes guilty of padding, since his stories often contain colorful details that can't be verified

Synonyms & Similar Words

• exaggeration
• stretching
• enhancement
• caricature
• embroidery
• coloring
• hyperbole
• magnification
• fabrication
• embellishment
• overstatement
• elaboration
• embroidering
• misrepresentation
• amplification
• hype
• hedging
• fudging
• puffery
• superlative

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• understatement
• meiosis
• minimizing
• disparagement
• belittlement
• poor-mouthing

padding

2 of 3

verb (1)

present participle of pad

as in exaggerating

to add to the interest of by including made-up details

the journalist was fired for padding certain stories to make them more interesting

Synonyms & Similar Words

• exaggerating
• coloring
• enhancing
• stretching
• expanding
• embellishing
• embroidering
• hyperbolizing
• elaborating (on)
• magnifying
• satirizing
• emphasizing
• hedging
• enlarging (on or upon)
• stressing
• amplifying
• overdoing
• fudging
• fleshing (out)
• overemphasizing
• overstating
• gussying up
• overdrawing
• playing up
• overplaying
• dressing up
• caricaturing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• minimizing
• belittling
• understating
• playing down

padding

3 of 3

verb (2)

present participle of pad

as in walking

to go on foot

a cat padded silently by

Synonyms & Similar Words

• walking
• treading
• stepping
• strolling
• wandering
• ambulating
• shuffling
• traipsing
• marching
• hiking
• footing (it)
• sauntering
• pacing
• legging (it)
• striding
• trotting
• trekking
• hoofing (it)
• promenading
• trampling
• clumping
• stomping
• tiptoeing
• trooping
• parading
• stepping out
• ambling
• tapping
• tramping
• prancing
• rambling
• power walking
• scuffing
• trudging
• stumping
• limping
• hobbling
• mincing
• stalking
• bouncing
• strutting
• waddling
• perambulating
• staggering
• gimping
• plodding
• stumbling
• moseying
• lurching
• swaggering
• footslogging
• peregrinating
• toddling
• faltering
• pussyfooting
• shambling
• sashaying
• pounding
• tripping
• tromping
• lumbering
• nipping

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of padding

Noun

Today’s show featured bold elements, with a vibrant palette of primary colors, panniers and padding that created the illusion of an enormous bottom, or exaggerated green fringing on Bermuda shorts that gave an audible swish as the models walked by. — Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2026

Edgy gold grommets add another layer of texture while helping to keep the shoes secure, and Madewell’s signature Cloudlift Lite padding cushions every step. — Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 24 Sep. 2026

Verb

Summer footwear is everything, whether you’re headed to the pool, running errands, or just padding around the house. — Sarah Scott, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 July 2026

The professors were bitter and angry—angry at a university, a state, and a country where their fields of study were regarded as obsolete, useful only for padding the schedules of STEM students or as a backstop for STEM burnouts. — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026