Word
padding
Phoneticspad·ding, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈpædɪŋ/
UK/pˈædɪŋ/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. soft material used to make something more comfortable or to protect it. You also use this word for extra, useless information added to a text to make it longer.
n. soft material placed inside an object to provide comfort, shape, or protection from impact. In a linguistic context, refers to superfluous words or sections added to a document to increase its length without adding value.
Examples
“The old chair needs more padding in the seat.”
“The student added several paragraphs of padding to his essay to meet the minimum word count requirement.”
“While the protective padding in the helmet successfully absorbed the initial impact, the athlete still suffered a minor concussion due to the sheer force of the collision.”
Examples
simple
“The old chair needs more padding in the seat.”
contextual
“The student added several paragraphs of padding to his essay to meet the minimum word count requirement.”
complex
“While the protective padding in the helmet successfully absorbed the initial impact, the athlete still suffered a minor concussion due to the sheer force of the collision.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the material or the abstract concept of extra text; occasionally countable when referring to specific pads in a garment.
Real-World Examples
“Gardiner said the ring has no padding around its posts, wobbly boards, and ropes which are not staying tight for very long.” “But I wouldn’t hate a few extra millimeters of padding.” Etymology
From pad + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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