Skip to main content
arch support

arch support

2 3.1
A part of a shoe that holds up the curved middle of the foot
  • noun
  • /ɑrtʃ səˈpɔrt/
translation icon : soporte de arco
  • Athletes often seek shoes with enhanced arch support to improve performance and prevent injuries.
  • good arch support
  • shoes with arch support
  • arch support inserts

Examples

  • Using an arch support will greatly improve your posture and help to relieve pain and pressure you might have been experiencing throughout your body.

    Blog text (27)
  • Arch supports are important to utilize in just about every activity that you can be involved in.

    Blog text (27)
  • I hate buying flat shoes with no arch support.

    Blog text (19)
  • Buying nice insoles with arch support made such a huge difference for my feet, legs, and my entire body; I can't even explain it.

    Blog text (19)
  • From dancing to shopping, good arch support is important to maintaining proper posture and reducing excessive stress in the back and associated regions.

    Blog text (27)
  • Yes, it's now slightly embarrassing to take the Chucks off in front of other people, but inserts with arch support are the only way I can wear them and a lot of other flat shoes.

    Blog text (19)
  • She went to the Good Feet Store (don't know if there's one in Reno) and bought an arch support system like nurses use.

    Blog text (23)
  • Thanks to a running injury and the discovery of the havoc my flat left foot is wreaking on my ankle and knee, at 24 I've had to invest in some "comfort" shoes with arch support and whatnot.

    Blog text (19)
  • Wearing shoes with proper arch support can help alleviate foot pain during long walks.

  • For added comfort, look for insoles that feature adjustable arch support to fit your foot's unique shape.

Synonyms

orthotic
vsarch support
  • Specialized
1 5.6

A device you wear to support and align a foot or leg

is more specific to inside shoes and to supporting the foot curve
orthopedic foot insole
vsarch support
  • US
4.6

A soft pad that you put inside a shoe to support the foot and reduce pain

is narrower, focusing on supporting the foot curve rather than posture correction

How Supportive

orthotic
  • Specialized
1 5.6
orthotic insole
  • Specialized
1 4.3
arch support
2 3.1
insole
7 3.3

Surface Forms

arch support singular
arch supports plural

Morphology

arch + support

The meaning 'a device that supports the arch of the foot' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'arch' (the arched region of the foot) with 'support' (something that holds or carries weight). This noun+noun compositional pattern is regular and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the compound's meaning.

Etymology

The noun arch support comes from the image of the foot's curved arch like a small bridge and a pad or part of a shoe that supports that curve so it does not fall in. That's why arch support means a device in a shoe that helps the foot stay comfortable and in the right position.