comfort
Americanverb (used with object)
noun
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relief in affliction; consolation; solace.
Her presence was a comfort to him.
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a feeling of relief or consolation.
Her forgiveness afforded him great comfort.
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a person or thing that gives consolation.
She was a great comfort to him.
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a cause or matter of relief or satisfaction.
The patient's recovery was a comfort to the doctor.
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a state of ease and satisfaction of bodily wants, with freedom from pain and anxiety.
He is a man who enjoys his comfort.
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something that promotes such a state.
His wealth allows him to enjoy a high degree of comfort.
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Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S. a comforter or quilt.
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Obsolete. strengthening aid; assistance.
noun
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a state of ease or well-being
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relief from affliction, grief, etc
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a person, thing, or event that brings solace or ease
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obsolete support
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(usually plural) something that affords physical ease and relaxation
verb
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to ease the pain of; soothe; cheer
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to bring physical ease to
Synonym Usage
Comfort, console, relieve, soothe imply assuaging sorrow, worry, discomfort, or pain. To comfort is to lessen the sadness or sorrow of someone and to strengthen by inspiring with hope and restoring a cheerful outlook: to comfort a despairing person. Console, a more formal word, means to make grief or distress seem lighter, by means of kindness and thoughtful attentions: to console a bereaved parent. Relieve means to lighten, lessen, or remove pain, trouble, discomfort, or hardship: to relieve a needy person. Soothe means to pacify or calm: to soothe a child. See ease.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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comfortlessnessnoun
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comfortingadjective
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comfortlessadjective
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uncomfortedadjective
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comfortinglyadverb
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comfortlesslyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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comfortsimple
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comfortssimple
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have comfortedperfect
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has comfortedperfect
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am comfortingprogressive
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are comfortingprogressive
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is comfortingprogressive
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have been comfortingperfect progressive
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has been comfortingperfect progressive
Past
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comfortedsimple
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had comfortedperfect
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was comfortingprogressive
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were comfortingprogressive
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had been comfortingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of comfort
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English verb comfortien, from Anglo-French, Old French conforter, from Late Latin confortāre “to strengthen,” equivalent to con- con- ( def. ) + -fortāre, verb suffix formed from Latin fortis “strong”; noun derived from the verb
Explanation
To comfort someone is to give solace or to soothe. You might comfort your brother when his favorite team gets knocked out of the playoffs. The verb comfort comes from the Latin word comfortare, which means “strengthen greatly.” To give comfort is to shore up the mood or physical state of someone else. It might take a long time to comfort your mother after her cat disappears. As a noun, comfort is anything that provides satisfaction or a relaxed and easy feeling. You might think that the comfort of your new shoes cannot be surpassed.
Vocabulary lists containing comfort
Stay Strong: Forc and Fort
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"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act III
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com-, con-
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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:
On the second, the comfort Warsh drew from higher yields sat awkwardly with part of why they had risen.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
A review of sleepwear and bedding fibre types found that bedding and clothing can affect thermal comfort during sleep.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 29, 2026
"The man's crossed legs might evoke indifference, the phone a culture of emptiness, the parasol a comfort people cling to," it said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
And if there’s any comfort that I have, it’s in knowing that there are right decisions to make and that I’m going to make them, and I’m going to help others make them, too.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
Every true Spiritualist knew cracking joints could not explain the comfort they received from talking to the dead.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
While the plane has royal comforts, such as oversize leather seats that turn into beds, Air Force officials have acknowledged the plane doesn’t have all the features of its predecessors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Former Arsenal midfielder and Wales captain Aaron Ramsey applies a tourniquet, while ex-Chelsea and Argentina goalkeeper Willy Caballero comforts the casualty.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
Sometimes, I feel most gay when I’m strolling outside feeling the breeze against my skin, like I’m experiencing the joy in a way that only I can, balanced with my own unique burdens and comforts.
From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2026
But contact is growing rapidly today, even if outsiders are barred from entering Indigenous territory, with members curious about the wider world -- and the modern comforts it can offer.
From Barron's ● May 18, 2026
He decided to lay over for a while in the vehicle and take advantage of its crude comforts.
From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
Meanwhile, at a sports hall in Las Rozas de Madrid just outside the capital, the displaced sprawled on camp beds, held their heads in their hands and comforted pets as they awaited news.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
At one point, Celeste's mother was comforted by supporters seated beside her.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
If you have watched any of these — if they comforted you on your worst days and made good ones better — Burrows had a hand in making your life funnier.
From Salon ● Jun. 20, 2026
“To have gay couples come up crying, saying thank you is incredible and it’s what you do it for. The best feeling in the world is to know that we’ve comforted someone.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
I rested my palm on Fig, comforted by the steady rise and fall of his tummy.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
The weekend is almost in sight and you’re craving something comforting yet nourishing to help you conquer these final weeknights.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
The comforting reality is that the ballots are controlled by thousands of different state and local officials.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Why one sound should seem so unbearable, yet the other almost comforting, is difficult to fully articulate or understand - but this is how he experiences life through his autism.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
Appeals to history often carry the comforting suggestion that the past has only one story to tell.
From Slate ● Jul. 2, 2026
The intricate molding on the copper ceiling sparkled in the afternoon sun, and the comforting smell of mudbean juice filled the air.
From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega
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.
