We should not use foreign workers as a buffer against Japan's economic slowdown.
Source: tatoeba (21873)
Buffer
/ˈbʌfə(ɹ)/
Synonyms for "buffer" (320 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (64)
Noun(15 words)
aegisannulantacidantidotearch damarm guardawlbackstopbale breakerbamboo curtainbankbarbarragebarrierbattering rambear-trap dambeaver dambevelbevel squarebodkin
Show 27 more words
boombradawlbratticebreakwaterbreastworkbrick wallbring to nothingbuffbuffer statebulkheadbulwarkbumpercalendercaliperscancelcancel outcant hookcaulking ironcenter punchchamoiscloisoncofferdamcollision matcome to nothingcontraceptivecopyrightcounteractant
Verb(2 words)
allow roombuffered
Strong matches (96)
counteractivecounteragentcounterbalancecounterirritantcrash helmetcrowbarcushiondamdashboarddefensediaphragmdibbledikedissepimentditchdividersdividing linedividing walldivisiondodger
Show 59 more words
dragearthworkedgerelectric sanderelectric soldering ironembankmentface maskfencefenderfilefinger guardflailfoot guardforcepsforkfrustratefusegateglazergogglesgoosegovernorgradergrapnelgrappling irongravity damgrease gungrindstonegroinguardguardrailhand guardhandrailhard hatharrowhawkhelmethookhydraulic-fill daminsulationinterlockinterseptuminvalidateironiron curtainjackjackscrewjamjettyjointerknee guardknuckle guardlaminated glasslatheleaping weirleveelevellife preserverlifeline
Noun(14 words)
cowcatchercushioncushioningcushioning packagingcushionsdampendata bufferfenderfendersheadroominterpositionleave roomleewayleppy
Adjective(1 words)
Related words (160)
lightning conductorlightning rodlogjammanglemaskmatmidriffmidsectionmilldammiter boxmoatmolemoundmudguardnail filenail pullernegatenegativatenegativeneutralize
Show 104 more words
neutralizernose guardnullifiernullifyoffsetpadpaddingpalette knifepalladiumpanelparapetpariespartitionparty wallpatentpeaveypilotpincerspinch barpitchforkplaneplanerplierspolisherportcullispresspreventativepreventiveproperty lineprophylacticprotectionprotective clothingprotective umbrellapullerpunchpunch plierspuncheonputty kniferamrammerrampartramrodremedyripping barroadblockrock-fill damrollerrolling pinsafeguardsafetysafety glasssafety plugsafety railsafety shoessafety switchsafety valvesanderscreenscrewdriverseat beltseawallseparationseptulumseptumshapershieldshin guardshock padshutter damsmoothersoldering ironspatulasquarestaplersteamrollerstone wallstultifysun helmett squaretackletamptampertamping picktapthwarttire irontire tooltongstooltroweltweezersumbrellaundovisevitiatevoidwallweirwicket damwindscreenwindshieldworkwrecking barwringer
Noun(27 words)
margemarginmarginsmemory buffermoderatemoderatingpaddingpadsph bufferpilotplenty to sparepolisherreservesshelteringshock absorbershore upslacknesssoftenspoolspooling
Show 7 more words
Verb(6 words)
Adjective(3 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: acid base buffer, aegis, allow room, allowance, amortizer.
- Sentence evidence is available for buffer, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "buffer".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "buffer"
Keep "buffer" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "buffer" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "buffer", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "buffer" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
17 entriesShowing 16 of 17 words.
More specific
12 entriesacetate bufferair cushioncircular bufferdamping devicedouble bufferfifo bufferfoam padgel padphosphate bufferring buffershock absorbertris buffer
Collocations
10 entriesbuffer cachebuffer databuffer overflowbuffer sizebuffer underflowbuffer zonecircular bufferdata buffermemory bufferring buffer
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
3 entriesTranslations
28 translations across 10 languages.
Bulgarian
1 entries- буфер noun (anything used to isolate or to minimise the effects of one thing on another)
Dutch
1 entries- inperken verb (to isolate, to minimise the impacts of (one thing on another))
Esperanto
1 entries- bufro noun (anything used to isolate or to minimise the effects of one thing on another)
Finnish
4 entries- kiillottaja noun (someone or something that buffs)
- kiillotuskone noun (someone or something that buffs)
- puskuri noun (anything used to isolate or to minimise the effects of one thing on another)
- eristää verb (to isolate, to minimise the impacts of (one thing on another))
French
1 entries- tampon noun (anything used to isolate or to minimise the effects of one thing on another)
German
1 entries- Puffer noun (anything used to isolate or to minimise the effects of one thing on another)
Indonesian
1 entries- penyangga noun (anything used to isolate or to minimise the effects of one thing on another)
Māori
3 entries- pākai noun (anything used to isolate or to minimise the effects of one thing on another)
- tauārai noun (anything used to isolate or to minimise the effects of one thing on another)
- tauārai verb (to isolate, to minimise the impacts of (one thing on another))
Spanish
4 entries- aislador noun (anything used to isolate or to minimise the effects of one thing on another)
- aislante noun (anything used to isolate or to minimise the effects of one thing on another)
- amortiguador noun (anything used to isolate or to minimise the effects of one thing on another)
- buffer noun (anything used to isolate or to minimise the effects of one thing on another)
Welsh
1 entries- byffer noun (anything used to isolate or to minimise the effects of one thing on another)
Sample sentences
25 total sentences available.
During the Great Game, Afghanistan was a buffer state.
Source: tatoeba (814501)
Samples are acquired from an analog-to-digital converter at interrupt level and written to one of two ping-pong buffers. When one buffer fills, the interrupt handler switches to the other and sets a flag for the full buffer to be written to disk.
Source: tatoeba (2099835)
The capacity of ecosystems to buffer the impacts of extreme events like fires, floods, and severe storms is being overwhelmed.
Source: tatoeba (3651149)
Showing 4 of 25 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "buffer"?
Closest matches include acid base buffer, aegis, allow room, allowance, amortizer.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "buffer"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.