shock absorber

American  

noun

Machinery.

• shock absorbers
  plural

1. a device for damping sudden and rapid motion, as the recoil of a spring-mounted object from shock.

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shock absorber British  

noun

1. any device designed to absorb mechanical shock, esp one fitted to a motor vehicle to damp the recoil of the suspension springs

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• shock absorbers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of shock absorber

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

shock absorber

Earlier, Boutcher said that the stalemate meant the police had "once again become the shock absorber of our society".

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

So the shock absorber works best for retirees with some cushion above their essential spending.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026

Efficient freight rail acts as a foundational shock absorber for national supply chains and a shield protecting the global competitiveness of our exporters.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 9, 2026

At the same time, American production growth—a key shock absorber for high prices after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—appears to be plateauing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 2026

A good place to hide could be under the cars, up between the axles, balancing on a foot-wide iron shock absorber.

From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario

Related Words

• suspension system