# padding

/ˈpædɪŋ/ (US) · /pˈædɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/padding
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Usage notes

- Uncountable when referring to the material or the abstract concept of extra text; occasionally countable when referring to specific pads in a garment.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.