comfortable

/ˈkʌmftəbl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkʌmftəbl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkəm(p)(f)-tər-bəl ˈkəm(p)(f)-tə-bəl, ˈkəm(p)-fər-tə-bəl ˈkəm(p)-fə-tə-bəl, ˈkəm-fər-bəl, ˈkəm-fə-bəl/ (ame, mw)

comfortable — adjective

  • comfortablepositive
  • more comfortablecomparative
  • most comfortablesuperlative

1. describes furniture, beds, or clothing that makes your body feel relaxed and at

1.形容詞A2
釋義

describes furniture, beds, or clothing that makes your body feel relaxed and at ease when you use or wear them

例句

The old sofa in the living room is very comfortable to sit on.

collocation: comfortable sofa / chair / bed

Aiko bought a pair of comfortable shoes for her walk to school.

同義詞
  • comfy

    informal version, very common in everyday speech

  • cozy

    suggests warmth and a snug, pleasant feeling, especially for small spaces

  • snug

    describes something fitting closely and giving a warm, protected feeling

反義詞
  • uncomfortable

    the direct opposite — causing physical discomfort or pain

用法筆記

Often used before nouns for furniture or clothing. Common combinations include comfortable bed, comfortable sofa, comfortable chair, and comfortable shoes.

常見錯誤

❌This chair is comfortable to sit.
✅This chair is comfortable to sit on.
💡When describing a piece of furniture as comfortable for an action, add the correct preposition (on, in) at the end.

2. in a physical state where your body feels at ease, with no aches or tension, usu

2.形容詞B1
釋義

in a physical state where your body feels at ease, with no aches or tension, usually because of a good position or pleasant surroundings

例句

After the long massage, Theo felt comfortable and relaxed for the first time.

feel + comfortable (sense: physically relaxed)

Hana sat in the garden chair and felt comfortable in the warm afternoon sun.

同義詞
  • relaxed

    focuses on the mental state of being free from tension

  • at ease

    slightly formal, suggests a calm and untroubled physical state

反義詞

文法句型

feel comfortable

get comfortable

make oneself comfortable

用法筆記

Typically used after verbs like feel, be, get, or make oneself. Unlike sense 1 (CLOTHES/FURNITURE), this sense describes how a person feels, not the quality of an object.

常見錯誤

❌I am comfortable in this chair' (when meaning the chair is good).
✅This chair is comfortable.
💡To say the chair gives comfort, use sense 1 with the object as the subject. Use sense 2 only when describing how you personally feel.

3. describes a sick or injured person, especially in a hospital, who is not in too

3.形容詞B2
釋義

describes a sick or injured person, especially in a hospital, who is not in too much pain and whose state is stable

例句

The nurse said the patient was comfortable after her surgery last night.

medical context: patient + comfortable after surgery

Dr. Patel checked on Mr. Chen and found him comfortable and resting well.

同義詞
  • stable

    medical term meaning condition is not getting worse

  • resting comfortably

    a fixed medical phrase combining both rest and comfort

反義詞
  • in pain

    the opposite state for a medical patient

  • critical

    used when a patient's condition is serious or life-threatening

用法筆記

Used primarily in medical reporting to reassure family members. Frequently appears in the pattern 'the patient is comfortable and (doing well / resting / stable).' Distinguish from sense 2 (PHYSICALLY OKAY): sense 3 is restricted to medical contexts where pain management is the focus.

常見錯誤

❌After running, I was comfortable.' (in a medical sense).
✅After running, I felt comfortable' (sense 2).
💡Sense 3 is only for hospital or medical care settings, not for everyday physical activity.

4. not feeling worried, nervous, or uncertain about a situation, an idea, or a rela

4.形容詞B2
釋義

not feeling worried, nervous, or uncertain about a situation, an idea, or a relationship with someone

例句

Tomás felt comfortable speaking in front of a large audience for the first time.

comfortable + gerund (speaking)

Yara is not comfortable with the idea of moving to a new city alone.

comfortable with + noun phrase

同義詞
  • at ease

    suggests a calm, relaxed mental state in a social or work setting

  • confident

    stronger than comfortable; implies belief in one's ability

  • relaxed

    informal, focuses on the absence of tension

反義詞
  • uneasy

    feeling worried or uncertain about a situation

  • uncomfortable

    the direct opposite — feeling awkward or worried

  • anxious

    stronger — feeling nervous and worried, often with physical symptoms

文法句型

comfortable with + noun/gerund

comfortable + gerund

用法筆記

Followed by with + noun/gerund, or directly by a gerund. The negative form (not comfortable with / not comfortable -ing) is very common. Never use a to-infinitive after this sense — 'I am comfortable to do it' is incorrect.

常見錯誤

❌I am not comfortable to work late.
✅I am not comfortable working late.' or 'I am not comfortable with working late.
💡After comfortable meaning 'not worried,' use with + noun/gerund or a gerund alone, not a to-infinitive.

5. having the financial means to live well and meet your needs without the constant

5.形容詞C2
釋義

having the financial means to live well and meet your needs without the constant worry of not having enough

例句

The Okonkwo family lives a comfortable life on their farm in the hills.

comfortable life — describing a sufficient standard of living

After years of saving, Nadia and her husband now have a comfortable income.

collocation: comfortable income

同義詞
  • well-off

    informal, describes having plenty of money

  • affluent

    more formal, suggests a high level of wealth

  • prosperous

    emphasises success and financial growth over time

反義詞
  • poor

    having very little money

  • struggling

    finding it hard to pay for basic needs

  • destitute

    having no money or possessions at all (formal)

用法筆記

Usually placed before nouns such as life, income, retirement, lifestyle, or existence. This sense does not describe a feeling — it describes a financial situation. Distinguish from sense 1 (CLOTHES/FURNITURE): a comfortable house here means one that requires no financial worry, not one that is physically cosy.

常見錯誤

❌I feel comfortable today' (meaning financially secure on a particular day).
✅My family is comfortable' or 'We have a comfortable lifestyle.
💡This sense describes a lasting financial state, not a temporary feeling.

6. describes a victory or a winning margin that is so large that the winner has no

6.形容詞B2
釋義

describes a victory or a winning margin that is so large that the winner has no difficulty achieving it

例句

The home team won the match by a comfortable margin of three goals to nil.

collocation: comfortable margin

Aiko finished the race in first place with a comfortable lead over the other runners.

collocation: comfortable lead

同義詞
  • decisive

    suggests the winner was clearly better and the result was never in doubt

  • convincing

    focuses on the quality of the performance, not just the margin

  • commanding

    suggests the winner had full control throughout

反義詞
  • narrow

    describes a win by a very small margin

  • close

    describes a competition where both sides had a chance to win

用法筆記

Used only before nouns — comfortable win, comfortable victory, comfortable lead, comfortable margin. This sense does not describe how someone feels; it describes the size of a win or advantage. Common in sports commentary and election reporting.

常見錯誤

❌The team was comfortable in the game.' (ambiguous).
✅The team won by a comfortable margin.
💡To express an easy win, use comfortable before a result noun (win, victory, lead, margin), not after a linking verb describing the team's state.