homey
1 Americanadjective
noun
-
homeys,
plural
-
homies
plural
adjective
noun
Usage
What does homey mean? Homey is used to describe a place as cozy, comfortable, and inviting. It’s often used to describe a home that feels this way. You might discuss ways of making your place (or a particular room in it) more homey, typically by decorating it in a way that makes it cozier or more comfortable. Homey can also be used to describe a place that’s not a home but that’s comfortable and inviting like your own home, such as a hotel room, cozy restaurant, or nicely decorated office. Example: The new fireplace makes the living room feel so homey. Unrelatedly, homey is an alternative spelling of the noun homie, which is a slang term for a close friend. It can be used to refer to a friend, as in This is my homey Russel, or as a term of address for one, as in Hey, homey!Example: I’m having a night out with just me and my homeys.
Synonym Usage
See homely.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of homey1
First recorded in 1850–55; home + -y 1
Origin of homey2
First recorded in 1990–95
Vocabulary lists containing homey
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:
He and his wife gave everything they had to build a community around delicious food and homey vibes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
At Beğendik Abi, Handan Kaygusuzer’s homey, traditional cooking has added to the Turkish coastal town of Urla’s reputation as a hot spot for gastronomy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
"Calgary, where I'm from, feels a little less like homey than LA," McRae said.
From BBC ● Feb. 5, 2026
The unit, estimated at around 500 square feet, feels homey and is situated in the garden of a classic Spanish home occupied by an elderly woman.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 4, 2026
But this new apartment felt homey and welcoming.
From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega
I know about five homeys that went through almost the exact same scenario last week!
From Time Magazine Archive
A lot of your homeys aren't exactly up on the contest scene, but it seems like you've been a little more into contests lately.
From Time Magazine Archive
At this time only a happy few knew what this guy was capable of-mainly his homeys from Bourg-Saint-Maurice.
From Time Magazine Archive
All my friends who skate in Brazil, all my homeys, they go to work and only skate on the weekends, so it was fun-they were just psyched for me.
From Time Magazine Archive
My moms don’t want to hear that, but if it weren’t for Wesley and my other homeys, I wouldn’t even be here, aiight?
From "Bronx Masquerade" by Nikki Grimes
Took pictures of the homies with a school camera.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
“One of my homies said, ‘Hey fool, what are you doing here?’” he recalled.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2025
Shout out to Spanto and shout out to all of the homies who work for them as well.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 1, 2024
UAW counsel Benjamin Dictor on Sunday morning posted on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter: "All my homies hate companies that won't agree to fair contracts for their workers."
From Reuters ● Oct. 29, 2023
“They’re not your homies if you gotta hide from them,” I say.
From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas
Battery-operated wall sconces, she says, are another inexpensive addition that can make an apartment feel homier.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 30, 2026
These colors work especially well in large, cavernous rooms and spaces in which the goal is to make a space feel less cavernous and homier and more comfortable.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 30, 2024
It was so much homier, so much more filling, so much more home-style than the other, oftentimes heinous lunch offerings.
From Salon ● Jan. 26, 2024
The softer light makes even the sparest of holiday décor feel homier.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 6, 2023
In time the place was homier than his own room at the Y. “How ’bout a corn muffin?” said Grayson, choosing something easy on his bad teeth and aching gums.
From "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli
And homiest of all is the shop’s impressive, one might even say fanatical, collection of those aforementioned typewriters.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 22, 2023
The homiest of the lot are “Northwest,” an ode to the PNW, and a loving number about Clark’s grandmother titled “She Smoked in the House.”
From Seattle Times ● May 16, 2023
Dasani’s housefather tries to soften the landing by making his homiest dish — lasagna.
From New York Times ● Sep. 28, 2021
In a trolley car that is rumored to have driven the capital’s streets between 1894 and 1912, Luxury Diner serves the city’s heartiest and homiest breakfast and lunch.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 10, 2019
The thought of Miss Ashwell was comforting, her room was the "homiest" place Judith knew, so she tapped at the door of the pleasant little brown room at the end of the corridor.
From Judy of York Hill by Ethel Hume Bennett
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