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Synonyms

comfort food

American  
[kuhm-fert food] / ˈkʌm fərt ˌfud /

noun

  1. simple, home-style food that brings comforting thoughts of home or childhood.


comfort food British  

noun

  1. food that is enjoyable to eat and makes the eater feel better emotionally

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of comfort food

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Still, there’s a kind of hip, comfort food aspect to the entire enterprise that keeps it an easy, if slightly cluttered and overlong watch.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 28, 2026

Besides being a "comfort food" after a hard shift at the front, the snacks also make sure the firefighters have "more strength", she said.

From Barron's Jul. 31, 2026

Another Midwestern casserole praised by more than one reader was the Hot Dish, Minnesota’s official comfort food with no official recipe.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 28, 2026

The transition comes as Cracker Barrel faces fierce competition from chains like Denny's and IHOP, which have been fighting to take market share among budget-conscious diners seeking classic American comfort food.

From BBC Jul. 27, 2026

It was comfort food to a whole group of people who longed for a taste of home.

From "The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora" by Pablo Cartaya

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