cozy
Americanadjective
-
cozier,
comparative
-
coziest
superlative
-
comfortable and snug.
We live in a cozy little house with a small garden in the back.
-
convenient or beneficial, usually as a result of dishonesty or connivance.
A very cozy agreement between competing firms had kept the industry profitable for years.
-
suggesting opportunistic or conspiratorial intimacy.
The exposé revealed a cozy relationship between lobbyists and some politicians.
-
discreetly reticent or noncommittal.
The administrators are remaining cozy about which policy they plan to adopt.
-
relating to a genre of mystery stories with little suspense, explicit violence, or sexual content, often also having amateur sleuths and idyllic, intimate settings.
I read lots of different books, but I like cozy mysteries best.
Charming characters and just the right amount of danger make this cozy series a delight to read.
noun
-
cozies
plural
-
a padded covering for a teapot or coffeepot to retain the heat of the contents.
-
a mystery story with little suspense, explicit violence, or sexual content, often also having amateur sleuths and idyllic, intimate settings.
I started out reading cozies and moved on to the hard-boiled detective novels.
verb (used with object)
verb phrase
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of cozy
First recorded in 1700–10; from Scots colsie, perhaps from Scandinavian; compare Norwegian koselig “cozy,” kose seg “to enjoy oneself”
Explanation
The adjective cozy describes being comfortable and warm, like when you feel cozy curled up on the couch under a soft blanket, in front of a roaring fire. "Isn't this cozy?" If you hear these words, you might be in a friendly, casual place where everyone feels welcome. Or, perhaps you are in a small cabin that is warm and dry as they rain pours down outside. Or you have just stumbled upon the judge of a writing contest having dinner with one of the aspiring novelists — cozy can also mean "scheming." And as a noun? A cozy is a padded cloth used to keep a teapot warm.
Vocabulary lists containing cozy
The Circuit
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!
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
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!
Words to Describe Homes
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.
See Examples For:
They’re styling their homes with pumpkin decor and cozy blankets, showing off fall outfits and partaking in fall drink menus at coffee shops.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Instead, Conagra is leaning on the appeal of cozy and nostalgic flavors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
The living space features a cozy fireplace and access to the direct ocean views.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
A tumultuous year marred by wildfires, tariffs, immigration raids, increasing rent and labor costs saw some of the city’s most famous restaurants closing, from Michelin-starred fine dining to cozy mom-and-pop spots.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
We were all going to die, the three of us, here in the straw, warm and cozy, but without food.
From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff
It cozies up a space and provides cushioning for a tired cook’s feet.
From Washington Times ● May 9, 2023
Once Cassie cozies up to Will at the bar you can see her struggling with pushing back demons of the past.
From Salon ● Apr. 22, 2022
“Now we can’t live without them,” said Becky Blystone, a preschool teacher who also works at All Things Carmel, a souvenir shop on Main Street that sells roundabout-themed tchotchkes like drink cozies and playing cards.
From New York Times ● Nov. 20, 2021
Padded lounge chairs, wearing their own terry-cloth cozies, are incapable of anything but a fairly steep recline.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 27, 2018
It's very English, with the tea cozies and all that sort of frills, and some of their luncheon dishes are delicious.
From Revelations of a Wife The Story of a Honeymoon by Adele Garrison
If OpenAI gets cozier with the government, Altman will likely have significant influence over AI regulations, said PitchBook analyst Harrison Rolfes.
From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026
A large open-plan kitchen comes complete with a casual dining space, ideal for hosting large groups, while the sun-soaked living room boasts its own fireplace for cozier evenings during the winter months.
From MarketWatch ● May 27, 2026
What could be cozier than a flock of charismatic sheep hunting their shepherd’s killer?
From Salon ● May 17, 2026
For a cozier option, head to Stargazy, a pie shop that has quietly become a hub for soccer-crazed Brits.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 20, 2025
The place is cozier than I expected: the lobby is full of comfy-looking couches, some of which have elderly people sitting on them knitting or reading.
From "Fast Pitch" by Nic Stone
This roasting kit helps revive one of wintertime’s coziest pleasures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 20, 2025
“A wing chair is one of the coziest pieces of furniture to have in a room.”
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 8, 2024
In this, our third pandemic year, the coziest, most unctuous dishes still reigned supreme.
From Salon ● Dec. 30, 2022
“It’s the coziest space,” Richter said of the versatile bed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 13, 2022
The warmest and coziest of them were the Bears from California.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
The rear cabin matches the front in molded-leather magnificence, with two deep-seated, high-bolstered rear chairs cozied up between the wheel wells, sharing an armrest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026
One of the funnier phenomena online in recent weeks is how the Reddit forum for Joe Rogan fans has turned on the podcaster, mostly because they can't stand how he's cozied up to Musk.
From Salon ● Mar. 20, 2025
“McKinsey now has offices all over the world, and from them they’ve cozied up to some truly terrible clients,” Oliver said.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 3, 2023
But then, in the 1980s, a bunch of Soviets showed up out of nowhere and cozied up to him.
From Slate ● Aug. 27, 2023
Shortly after sunrise we come down the steep road into Livingstonville, a small town of no more than forty houses and stores cozied at the confluence of the Cats- kill and Lake creeks.
From "On the Far Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George
It’s not just El-Sayed who is cozying up to Piker.
From Slate ● Aug. 7, 2026
Bardem gets the most, and most extreme attitudes, to play, whether cozying up individually to the Bowdens, threatening a groupie, undergoing a religious conversion, acting normal or being weird.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2026
In the meantime, YouTube campaigned to “normalize” itself in classrooms in part by cozying up to Parent Teacher Associations, school districts alleged in a lawsuit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026
The couple first sparked romance rumors in July when they were seen cozying up in Spain together.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 4, 2026
I didn't see the first shot, 'cause we were cozying up on the stoop there like normal, but I saw the second one.
From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon
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.
