cozy

American  

[koh-zee] / ˈkoʊ zi /

Rarely cozie, or cosy

adjective

cozier, coziest

1. comfortable and snug.

   We live in a cozy little house with a small garden in the back.

   Synonyms:

   sheltered, homey, comfy, snug

2. 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.

3. suggesting opportunistic or conspiratorial intimacy.

   The exposé revealed a cozy relationship between lobbyists and some politicians.

4. discreetly reticent or noncommittal.

   The administrators are remaining cozy about which policy they plan to adopt.

5. 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.

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noun

cozies plural

1. a padded covering for a teapot or coffeepot to retain the heat of the contents.

2. 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)

cozied, cozying

1. to make more warm or comfortable (often followed byup ).

   New curtains would cozy the room up a bit.

verb phrase

1. cozy up (to)

   1. to move closer for comfort or affection.

      Come over to the fire and cozy up a bit.

   2. to try to become friendly or intimate in order to further one's own ends; attempt to ingratiate oneself.

      He's always cozying up to the boss.

cozy British  

/ ˈkəʊzɪ /

adjective

1. the usual US spelling of cosy

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Other Word Forms

• cozily
  adverb
• coziness
  noun

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.

Example Sentences

The actress talks with WSJ about her parents’ divorce, being called a Muppet and her cozy Malibu home.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

Behind the scenes, Nasdaq has readied a cozy stable for unicorns to go public on its exchange rather than the NYSE.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

That story is also home to a very spacious kitchen with a large island, top-of-the-line appliances, and its own cozy sitting area, complete with a fireplace.

From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026

For a brief moment, it’s a sweet, cozy scenario, even though their friends are baffled by the new connection.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

Mard piled dry grass on the ground for me and then covered me with giant leaves that had soft fuzz on them, so they were quite cozy.

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

Related Words

• comfortable
• comfy
• cushy
• intimate
• snug