cushion the decline

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "cushion the decline" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing strategies to mitigate or soften the impact of a decrease in something, such as sales, profits, or performance. Example: "The company implemented several cost-cutting measures to cushion the decline in revenue during the economic downturn."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

At best, it could "cushion the decline in output of conventional gas in the near future".

The Guardian

Cushion the decline in living standards with easy money now and you just move from a housing bubble to a commodities bubble.

The New York Times

That reduction in housing costs should help cushion the decline in home prices, which have already fallen more than 18percentt from their peak in the summer of 2006, said Bill Gross, the co-chief investment officer of Pimco, the large bond investment firm.

The New York Times

Currency traders said that they perceived hints of modest intervention to cushion the decline by the Reserve Bank of India, the country's central bank, which acts through state-controlled commercial banks when it does intervene so as to camouflage its activity.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

The company's strength in the military market partly cushioned the decline.

Forbes

American arms, in other words, had been lid-keepers on unrest and inter-Arab rivalries, and a cushion for the decline of US economic competitiveness.

The Guardian - Opinion

Time-shifting has cushioned the declines, but in ways that are trickier to measure and pitch to marketers.

The New York Times

Hedge funds did help cushion the market decline in fiscal year 2009, when the S.& P. 500 dropped about 26 percent.

The New York Times

Behind the Obama doctrine lurks a certain implicit assumption: that a safety net of international norms can both cushion the relative decline of the United States and contain the rise of other powers like China.

Huffington Post

Subscriber growth at DirecTV Now, AT&T's online TV service, has helped cushion the steady decline of satellite TV customers in the last several quarters, said Kevin Roe, an analyst with Roe Equity Research.

Los Angeles Times

Over the past year, a price hike has cushioned the sales decline for Vytorin, the cholesterol-lowering drug from Merck and Schering-Plough, despite concerns about the medicine's effectiveness at preventing heart attacks.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "cushion the decline", clearly specify what measures are being taken to mitigate the negative effects. For example, "The company implemented cost-cutting measures to cushion the decline in profits."

Common error

Don't use "cushion the decline" without explicitly stating what is declining. Lack of context weakens the sentence and leaves the reader guessing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cushion the decline" functions as a verb phrase that describes an action taken to mitigate the negative consequences of a decrease or downturn. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage and provides examples across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "cushion the decline" is a versatile expression used to describe actions taken to mitigate or soften the negative effects of something that is decreasing. Ludwig AI analysis indicates that it's grammatically correct and frequently employed in news and media, formal business, and wiki contexts. The phrase serves the purpose of highlighting strategies aimed at stabilizing situations and reducing adverse impacts. While "cushion the decline" is suitable for neutral to formal use, remember to provide specific context about what is declining to avoid vagueness. Alternatives like "mitigate the downturn" or "soften the impact" can offer nuanced variations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mitigate the downturn

Replaces 'decline' with 'downturn' implying a temporary economic contraction, while maintaining the 'lessening' action.

soften the impact of the decrease

Substitutes "cushion" with "soften the impact" while using the noun form "decrease", resulting in a more descriptive phrase.

lessen the effects of the recession

Focuses specifically on economic recession effects, broadening the applicability of the initial cushioning action.

buffer against the decrease

Uses "buffer against" to suggest a protective barrier, rather than directly softening, implying a preparation for the decline's effects.

dampen the effects of the downfall

Replaces 'decline' with 'downfall', suggesting a more severe or irreversible downturn while retaining the mitigating action.

alleviate the severity of the fall

Focuses on reducing the severity or intensity of a 'fall', changing the nature of the mitigating action from a 'cushion' to 'alleviation'.

ease the consequences of the downturn

Shifts from mitigating the 'decline' to easing its 'consequences', which broadens the scope of action to the outcomes.

weaken the effects of the decrease

Alters the cushioning action into a 'weakening' of the decline's effects, offering a more direct and aggressive approach.

temper the force of the contraction

Suggests moderating the strength of an economic 'contraction', rather than softening a 'decline', implying controlled restraint.

moderate the downsides of the recession

Shifts the perspective to 'moderating' the negative aspects of a recession, changing the mitigation action.

FAQs

What does "cushion the decline" mean?

The phrase "cushion the decline" means to take actions that will help to soften the negative impact or effects of something that is decreasing or deteriorating. It implies providing a buffer or protection against the full force of a downturn.

How can I use "cushion the decline" in a sentence?

You can use "cushion the decline" to describe strategies aimed at mitigating negative consequences. For example, "The government introduced tax cuts to "mitigate the recession"".

What are some alternatives to "cushion the decline"?

Alternatives include phrases like "soften the impact", "mitigate the effects", or "alleviate the severity". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is "cushion the decline" formal or informal?

The phrase "cushion the decline" is suitable for neutral to formal contexts, such as news reports, business analyses, or academic papers. It avoids slang and uses straightforward language.