cushiony

Cushiony is an adjective used to describe something that is soft, yielding, or pad-like in feel. It characterizes textures or surfaces that are designed to be comfortable to touch or to sit on, implying a cushion-like quality that can absorb pressure or impact. The term is commonly applied to fabrics, foam, padding, and upholstery to convey comfort and plushness.

The word is formed from cushion plus the suffix -y, creating a descriptive modifier rather than a concrete object. It tends to appear in casual or descriptive writing and marketing material, rather than in formal or technical specifications.

In everyday usage, cushiony describes products or experiences that feel soft and supportive, such as a chair, sofa, mattress, or footwear with noticeable padding or plush upholstery. It can also describe sensations, such as a cushiony calm or cushiony support, where the emphasis is on subjective comfort rather than measurable stiffness or firmness. The related term cushioned is more common in formal contexts and refers to the presence of padding that has been added or integrated.

Cushiony can be subjective and culturally influenced, as comfort preferences vary. For precise descriptions in product testing or design documentation, terms like padded, memory-foam, or ergonomic may be preferred to convey specific properties and performance.

See also: cushion, cushioning, padding, upholstery, foam, ergonomics.