Cushioning is by far the most frequently used term to describe a running shoe. Even as I wrote these reviews, you’ll see “cushioned” scattered all over. In short, cushioning is a measure of how soft or firm a shoe feels when running.
There are many factors that affect how a runner interprets a shoe cushioning level, like how thick the foam or midsole is, the durometer (a measure of hardness) of the foam, and the type and placement of the outsole.
Even then, cushioning levels will vary from runner to runner based on the runner’s weight and gait characteristics. A shoe’s cushioning level will even change over time as the midsole breaks down.
The runner is the best expert on what they have experienced, what they’re looking to do, and what fit and feel have worked best in the past. It’s a wonderful time to be a runner because there are many excellent running shoes from most brands. So don’t pigeonhole yourself into one style or brand.