air pocket

noun

: a condition of the atmosphere (such as a local downdraft) that causes an airplane to drop suddenly

Examples of air pocket in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The dinosaur's vertebrae was filled with air pockets similar to those of birds, so the dinosaur was likely quite light, as well. Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 22 Feb. 2024 Asher assumes that his strange new existence on the ceiling is a result of that decision — that putting an AC unit into one room somehow created an air pocket that has turned him upside down. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 12 Jan. 2024 Filling the air pockets with a substance like epoxy resin that bends light to a similar degree to the cell walls renders the wood transparent. Jude Coleman, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Dec. 2023 More than that, the study found that splint-like bones jutting from the neck vertebrae called cervical ribs helped to provide stability to the dinosaur’s neck and evolved in tandem with increasing air pockets in the dinosaur’s neck bones. Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Dec. 2023 Higher-quality cases have various layers, air pockets, or other ways of shifting shock for better protection. Joel Balsam, Travel + Leisure, 4 Oct. 2023 The sugar grinding up against the butter like that, those are little air pockets. New York Times, 17 Nov. 2023 Sauropods had complex air-sac systems in their respiratory tracts that created air pockets within and around their bones. Riley Black, Popular Science, 9 Nov. 2023 Soften the butter Starting the creaming process with softened butter is absolutely critical: butter that is too cold and hard won't mix thoroughly with the sugar, and butter that is too soft and melty won't hold the air pockets and will result in a dense and soggy dessert. Alyssa Sybertz, Southern Living, 9 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'air pocket.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of air pocket was in 1912

Dictionary Entries Near air pocket

Cite this Entry

“Air pocket.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/air%20pocket. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

air pocket

noun
: a condition of the atmosphere that causes an airplane to drop suddenly
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!