airbag
Americannoun
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a bag mounted in the interior of a motor vehicle, cushioning the seat occupant by inflating automatically in the event of collision.
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a very large inflatable safety or cushioning device, as to protect a spacecraft during a landing.
Etymology
Origin of airbag
First recorded in 1965–70; air 1 ( def. ) + bag ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In her crash last Sunday, Vonn’s airbag deployed.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 15, 2026
Crucially, officers knew there was a good chance that whoever was at the wheel at the time of the crash might have come into contact with the driver's side airbag as it activated.
From BBC • Nov. 25, 2025
Her father was killed in July 2024 when his airbag exploded.
From BBC • Jun. 25, 2025
The company also is touting safety features including six different airbag types, sensors that it says prevent the car from starting until everyone is buckled up and software designed to prevent collisions.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 12, 2024
Akira pushed her airbag out of the way.
From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
