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

Physicians say no syrup shortens their course; at best, they offer fleeting comfort.

From BBC

He's not just a winger; he's a symbol of a new generation of athletes who refuse to shrink themselves to fit into someone else's comfort.

From BBC

Hammond, from Solihull, said he knew about cars, drove them round race tracks and had run production firms, but when it came to managing the workshop, he said: "I'm outside my comfort zone".

From BBC

They take comfort from Labour's own woes and leadership speculation, and cling to a belief that Reform UK's populist policies increasingly do not survive contact with reality.

From BBC

But that will be of little comfort for two teams who, despite their status and history, look ill-equipped for this campaign.

From BBC

Related Words

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