comfort

[kuhm-fert]

verb (used with object)

1. to soothe, console, or reassure; bring cheer to.

   They tried to comfort her after her loss.

   Synonyms: ease, gladden, solace, calm, pacify

2. to make physically comfortable.

   Synonyms: ease

3. Obsolete.,  to aid; support or encourage.

noun

1. relief in affliction; consolation; solace.

   Her presence was a comfort to him.

2. a feeling of relief or consolation.

   Her forgiveness afforded him great comfort.

3. a person or thing that gives consolation.

   She was a great comfort to him.

4. a cause or matter of relief or satisfaction.

   The patient's recovery was a comfort to the doctor.

5. a state of ease and satisfaction of bodily wants, with freedom from pain and anxiety.

   He is a man who enjoys his comfort.

6. something that promotes such a state.

   His wealth allows him to enjoy a high degree of comfort.

7. Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S.,  a comforter or quilt.

8. Obsolete.,  strengthening aid; assistance.

comfort

/ ˈkʌmfət /

noun

1. a state of ease or well-being

2. relief from affliction, grief, etc

3. a person, thing, or event that brings solace or ease

4. obsolete,  support

5. (usually plural) something that affords physical ease and relaxation

verb

1. to ease the pain of; soothe; cheer

2. to bring physical ease to

Other Word Forms

• comfortless adjective
• comfortlessness noun
• comfortlessly adverb
• comfortingly adverb
• comforting adjective
• uncomforted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of comfort¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English verb comfortien, from Anglo-French, Old French conforter, from Late Latin confortāre “to strengthen,” equivalent to con- con- ( def. ) + -fortāre, verb suffix formed from Latin fortis “strong”; noun derived from the verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of comfort¹

C13: from Old French confort, from Late Latin confortāre to strengthen very much, from Latin con- (intensive) + fortis strong

Idioms and Phrases

see cold comfort; creature comforts; too close for comfort.

Synonym Study

Comfort, console, relieve, soothe imply assuaging sorrow, worry, discomfort, or pain. To comfort is to lessen the sadness or sorrow of someone and to strengthen by inspiring with hope and restoring a cheerful outlook: to comfort a despairing person. Console, a more formal word, means to make grief or distress seem lighter, by means of kindness and thoughtful attentions: to console a bereaved parent. Relieve means to lighten, lessen, or remove pain, trouble, discomfort, or hardship: to relieve a needy person. Soothe means to pacify or calm: to soothe a child. See ease.

Example Sentences

Cheesy: Cheese is the glue, the comfort, the indulgence that pulls a loaded fry together.

From Salon

“The maintenance of a particular moral order in which survival — to say nothing of comfort — is earned in the market,” he wrote.

From Salon

“Sometimes, you have to get outside your comfort zone to create awareness.”

From Los Angeles Times

In fact, Morgan suggested Cooper's comfort with one-take shooting was partly due to the drama school's focus on improvisation.

From BBC

“I think tonight proves that if you listen and you focus and you step out of your comfort zone, you can achieve anything in life. ... Who cares if you get embarrassed?”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• amenity 
• contentment 
• convenience 
• enjoyment 
• happiness 
• luxury 
• pleasure 
• relaxation 
• relief 
• satisfaction 
• warmth 
• well-being