comfortable
Americanadjective
-
(of clothing, furniture, etc.) producing or affording physical comfort, support, or ease.
a comfortable chair;
comfortable shoes.
-
being in a state of physical or mental comfort; contented and undisturbed; at ease.
to be comfortable in new shoes;
I don't feel comfortable in the same room with her.
-
(of a person, situation, etc.) producing mental comfort or ease; easy to accommodate oneself to or associate with.
She's a comfortable person to be with.
-
more than adequate or sufficient.
a comfortable salary.
-
Obsolete. cheerful.
noun
adjective
-
giving comfort or physical relief
-
at ease
-
free from affliction or pain
-
(of a person or situation) relaxing
-
informal having adequate income
-
informal (of income) adequate to provide comfort
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of comfortable
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Anglo-French word confortable. See comfort, -able
Explanation
The adjective comfortable describes something that makes you feel relaxed, like a comfortable couch that makes you want to curl up on it and take a nap. In addition to describing things that feel good, like shoes that don't hurt your feet, comfortable can mean "feeling free from stress or worry." If you are comfortable around people, you can be yourself. It can also mean "secure" — a family that, though not rich, lives a comfortable lifestyle, meaning they have considerable savings, or you feeling comfortable speaking Spanish in Chile, meaning you trust your ability to communicate.
Vocabulary lists containing comfortable
Stay Strong: Forc and Fort
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
A Wealth Of Words: Synonyms for "Rich"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet," Vocabulary from Act 5
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
‘We are comfortable financially’: My husband is in his 60s and has $500,000 life insurance.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 16, 2026
An hour after thinking she would lose, Green felt comfortable.
From Slate • Jun. 16, 2026
"Improving education and healthcare should be the very first step if people are going to feel comfortable having children."
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026
They only need to bring their own water bottles and comfortable clothing.
From Barron's • Jun. 15, 2026
The other part of me is repulsed that she’s most comfortable when Andre and Camille aren’t here.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
