# comfortable

/ˈkəmfɝtəbəɫ/ (US) · /kˈʌmftəbəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/comfortable
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. physically pleasant

adjective · CEFR A2

making you feel physically relaxed and at ease.

For teachers: providing physical comfort or ease; agreeable to the body.

- This new sofa is very comfortable to sit on while watching a movie.
- The hotel room featured a remarkably comfortable mattress, ensuring that the weary travellers woke up fully refreshed for their morning meeting.

### 2. relaxed or confident

adjective · CEFR B1

feeling relaxed and not worried about a situation.

For teachers: experiencing a state of mental or emotional ease; free from anxiety or doubt.

- I don't feel comfortable walking home alone in the dark.
- After several months in the role, the manager finally felt comfortable making high-stakes decisions without consulting the board of directors.

### 3. having enough money

adjective · CEFR B2

having enough money to live well without worrying.

For teachers: possessing sufficient financial resources to maintain a good standard of living.

- They aren't rich, but they have a comfortable life in the suburbs.
- The couple retired on a comfortable pension, allowing them to travel abroad twice a year without straining their savings.

### 4. a bed cover

noun · CEFR C2 · American English · Dialect

a thick, warm cover for a bed.

For teachers: a stuffed or quilted coverlet for a bed; a comforter.

- She pulled the comfortable up to her chin to stay warm during the cold night.
- The guest room was furnished with an antique wooden bed and a hand-stitched comfortable passed down through the family.

Usage: In modern American English, 'comforter' is significantly more common than 'comfortable' for this noun sense.

## Examples

- This new sofa is very comfortable.
- After a long day of hiking, she changed into comfortable clothes and sat by the fire.
- The family maintained a comfortable lifestyle in the suburbs, supported by a steady income that allowed for annual vacations and significant savings.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.