comforting
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
- comfortingly adverb
- uncomforting adjective
Etymology
Origin of comforting
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English; comfort + -ing 2
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.
The calm words from the Nasa team have given the crew a comforting link with home.
From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026
“It was just kind of one in that moment: She’s my mother and also my director that’s comforting me, helping me through the scene. It worked really well.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026
It has enjoyed comforting support at the 50 day SMA since last summer.
From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026
This is no easy mission, and “militarily manageable risk” won’t be comforting to Americans or energy markets if this goes sideways.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026
He means to be comforting, I think, but the reference to how I’d come undone in front of him is more than I can take.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
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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.