cushioning

1 of 2

noun

cush·​ion·​ing ˈku̇-sh(ə-)niŋ 

: protection against force or shock provided by a cushion

Wearers will be able to pump air into the shoe's sole for extra cushioning.

—Joseph Pereira

Ligaments keep the vertebrae in place during movement, and fibrous disks with jellylike centers provide cushioning between them.

—Jane E. Brody

As part of NASA's "better, faster, cheaper" philosophy, the most recent missions to Mars largely relied on airbag cushioning for a soft landing.

—Beth Daley

Engineered flooring goes down over a thin foam sheet, which provides cushioning and sound-dampening.

—Joseph Truini

cushioning

2 of 2

adjective

: providing protection against force or shock : providing or serving as a cushion

Investigators are testing new kinds of cushioning material.

—Think

The ads will promote two key cushioning technologies …

—Jeff Jensen

Normal wear and tear also erodes the cushioning cartilage in our knees and hips, which decreases height a bit.

—Bob Guldin

But when they become wet from perspiration, cotton or wool socks hold the moisture against your skin and lose their cushioning ability …

—University Of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter

The mission also demonstrated a low-cost means of landing on Mars using cushioning airbags …

—Astronomy

Examples of cushioning in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

His makeshift home — a tent fortified with wood paneling, steel poles and chain link fencing — rises two stories high, with a day bed on the first floor and a queen mattress on the second, plenty of cushioning for his 18 cats to get cozy. —Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2025

Your shoes should have a good amount of cushioning in the midsole, fit securely around the ankles and have a toe box with enough room to wiggle your toes. —Bestreviews, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2025

An ample amount of responsive cushioning (40mm under the heel and 34mm under the forefoot) helps this shoe to feel great on hard surfaces, both road and super-firm Colorado dirt. —Lisa Jhung, Outside Online, 28 Feb. 2025

These sneakers are specifically crafted with women’s anatomy in mind, providing the essential cushioning needed for all-day support. —Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1830, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1851, in the meaning defined above