How can I add some vertical spacing to table cells?

Question

I have a table created with tabular but the text seems too close to the top border. Is there a way to add some padding to the table cells?

\begin{tabular}[t]{|l|l|l|l|}
        \hline
        \multicolumn{4}{|c|}{Content Words}\\
        \hline
        NOUNS & person & place & thing\\
        \hline
        VERBS & go & run & think \\
        \hline
        ADJECTIVES & good & bad & right \\
        \hline
        ADVERBS & very & almost & quite \\
        \hline
    \end{tabular}

I would be grateful for any suggestion. Thank you.

Would https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/31672/column-and-row-padding-in-tables help? — Rmano, Mar 12 '22 at 18:31
Yes. I added the \def\arraystretch to the preamble. Thank you. — Zoltan King, Mar 12 '22 at 18:33

Simon Dispa · Accepted Answer · 2022-03-12T20:17:17.983

One of the easiest ways is to load the package array and invoke

\renewcommand{\arraystretch}{<factor>}

to increase the default cell spaces in all rows by factor.

There are many other alternatives to increase independently the space above and the space below the cells, expand a single row, etc.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{array}% added <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
\begin{document}
\renewcommand{\arraystretch}{1.8}% added <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
\begin{tabular}[t]{|l|l|l|l|}
    \hline
    \multicolumn{4}{|c|}{Content Words}\
    \hline
    NOUNS & person & place & thing\
    \hline
    VERBS & go & run & think \
    \hline
    ADJECTIVES & good & bad & right \
    \hline
    ADVERBS & very & almost & quite \
    \hline
\end{tabular}
\end{document}

This does not always seem to center the text in the cells. – andreas Nov 15 '23 at 02:23 — andreas, Nov 15 '23 at 02:23

Bernard · Answer 2 · 2022-03-12T20:30:19.937

The simplest solution, in my opinion, uses the cellspace package, which defines tools for minimal vertical spacing at the top & bottom of cells in columns with specifier prefixed with the letter S (or C if you load siunitx, or any letter you please with the loading time option column= some letter).

Here is how it goes:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{cellspace}
\setlength{\cellspacetoplimit}{6pt}
\setlength{\cellspacebottomlimit}{6pt}
\begin{document}
\begin{tabular}[t]{|Sl|l|l|l|}
        \hline
        \multicolumn{4}{|Sc|}{Content Words}\
        \hline
        NOUNS & person & place & thing\
        \hline
        VERBS & go & run & think \
        \hline
        ADJECTIVES & good & bad & right \
        \hline
        ADVERBS & very & almost & quite \
        \hline
    \end{tabular}
\end{document}

Beware: \hspace is ignored in cells when using this package — andreas, Nov 15 '23 at 02:22

How can I add some vertical spacing to table cells?

2 Answers2