warm

IPA/wɔːm/
KK[wˈɔrm]IPA/wɔːrm/

warm — adjective

  • warmpositive
  • warmercomparative
  • warmestsuperlative

1. at a temperature that feels pleasant and comfortable, between cool and hot — lik

1.adjectiveA1
Definition

at a temperature that feels pleasant and comfortable, between cool and hot — like the air in a heated room or water you would bathe in

Example

The soup was still warm when Diya sat down to eat.

predicative use: [noun] + be + warm

Ayesha wrapped her fingers around the warm cup of tea.

attributive use: warm + [noun] (object with heat)

Common collocations
  • warm water
  • warm air
  • warm weather
  • warm bath
  • warm meal
  • stay warm
  • keep warm
Synonyms
  • hot

    much higher temperature, often uncomfortable or burning to touch

  • lukewarm

    only slightly warm, often used when a drink or food is not as hot as expected

  • tepid

    slightly warm and often disappointingly so, especially for liquids

Antonyms
  • cold

    at a noticeably low temperature, opposite of warm

  • cool

    slightly cold, sometimes in a pleasant way

Usage Note

Frequently used with nouns referring to food, drink, water, air, and weather. Unlike 'hot,' 'warm' never implies an uncomfortable or burning temperature.

Common Mistakes

The bath water is too hot to get in' (when you mean pleasantly warm).
The bath water is warm.
'hot' means much higher temperature than 'warm' and can be uncomfortable or dangerous.

2. made of material that keeps body heat close to you, so you do not feel cold when

2.adjectiveA2
Definition

made of material that keeps body heat close to you, so you do not feel cold when the weather is cold

Example

Liang put on a warm wool sweater before going outside.

warm + [clothing item]

The baby slept peacefully under a thick warm blanket.

Common collocations
  • warm clothes
  • warm coat
  • warm jacket
  • warm blanket
  • warm socks
  • warm gloves
Synonyms
  • thermal

    specially designed to retain body heat, more technical

  • insulating

    keeps heat from escaping, used for materials and fabrics

Antonyms
  • thin

    made of light material that does not keep body heat in

  • lightweight

    not heavy enough to provide warmth in cold weather

Usage Note

This sense is almost always used before a noun (attributive). It describes the function of the item, not the temperature of the item itself.

Common Mistakes

I feel warm in this jacket' (when you mean the jacket keeps you warm).
This is a warm jacket.
the adjective before the noun describes the jacket's function; 'I feel warm' uses sense 1 to describe your body temperature.

3. belonging to a group of colours — reddish, yellowish, and the shades between the

3.adjectiveB1
Definition

belonging to a group of colours — reddish, yellowish, and the shades between them — that give people a feeling of heat, comfort, and cosiness

Example

The living room walls were painted in warm shades of orange and gold.

warm + [colour noun]: shades/tones/colours

Élise chose warm colours like terracotta for the bedroom.

Common collocations
  • warm colours
  • warm tones
  • warm shades
  • warm lighting
  • warm glow
Synonyms
  • hot

    used for more intense warm colours, not typical in design contexts

Antonyms
  • cool

    describing colours in the blue, green, or purple range

Usage Note

Use to describe colours, lighting, or décor. The opposite is 'cool' (blues, greens, purples). Commonly used in interior design, fashion, and art contexts.

4. having a comfortably high temperature when describing a room, building, or outdo

4.adjectiveA2
Definition

having a comfortably high temperature when describing a room, building, or outdoor area, so that you feel cosy there

Example

The kitchen was the warmest room in the old farmhouse.

superlative: warmest + [place noun]

Hamza found a warm spot by the library fireplace.

Common collocations
  • warm room
  • warm house
  • warm place
  • warm spot
  • warm corner
  • warm café
Synonyms
  • cosy

    warm in a comfortable and pleasant way, often implying smallness

  • heated

    made warm by a heating system, more technical

Antonyms
  • cold

    having an unpleasantly low temperature, opposite of warm

  • draughty

    uncomfortable due to cold air coming in through gaps

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense specifically describes an indoor or sheltered location where the air temperature feels comfortable. Sense 1 can describe any object (food, water, air) regardless of location.

5. showing kindness, affection, and a welcoming attitude towards other people throu

5.adjectiveB1
Definition

showing kindness, affection, and a welcoming attitude towards other people through your words, actions, or behaviour

Example

The host family gave us a warm welcome when we arrived.

collocation: warm welcome

Diego received warm applause from the audience after his speech.

collocation: warm applause

Common collocations
  • warm welcome
  • warm smile
  • warm regards
  • warm personality
  • warm greeting
  • warm applause
  • warm embrace
Synonyms
  • affectionate

    showing love through touch or words, more personal and intimate than warm

  • cordial

    polite and friendly in a formal way

  • welcoming

    making someone feel accepted and at home

  • hearty

    warm and enthusiastic, especially in welcoming or laughing

Antonyms
  • cold

    unfriendly and distant in behaviour

  • cool

    not very friendly, slightly distant or reserved

Usage Note

Common in fixed expressions such as 'warm welcome,' 'warm regards,' and 'warm applause.' As a personality description, it emphasises genuine kindness rather than mere politeness.

Common Mistakes

She gave me a warmful smile.
She gave me a warm smile.
'warmful' does not exist in English; use 'warm' directly before the noun.

6. nearly correct when trying to find something hidden or guess an answer, used esp

6.adjectiveB2
Definition

nearly correct when trying to find something hidden or guess an answer, used especially in children's guessing games where players say 'you're warm' or 'getting warm'

Example

You're getting warm — the hidden gift is behind the sofa!

phrase: you're getting warm (in a guessing game)

When Diya guessed Osaka, Yael said she was warm.

Common collocations
  • getting warm
  • getting warmer
  • you're warm
Synonyms
  • close

    near the correct answer, used in both games and everyday situations

  • near

    close to the target, the standard opposite of 'far' in game contexts

Antonyms
  • cold

    far from the correct answer or hidden object in a guessing game

Usage Note

Almost always used in the phrase 'getting warm' or 'warm' as an exclamation. The opposite in the same game system is 'cold' (far from the target). Rarely used outside of guessing-game contexts.

Common Mistakes

Your answer is warm' (in a formal quiz).
You're getting warm' (in an informal guessing game).
This expression belongs to children's games and informal settings, not formal testing.
Idioms

warm fuzzy/fuzzies

idiom

A pleasant feeling of happiness, love, or comfort.

Seeing her old photos gave Maya a warm fuzzy feeling.

Did that compliment give you the warm fuzzies?

warm — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Warm, hot, lukewarm, tepid, and cool form a temperature scale from high to low, but each carries different expectations. Hot (A1, very common) means a temperature high enough to be uncomfortable or even dangerous — you would not call bath water 'hot' if you plan to get in. Lukewarm (B1, less common) describes a temperature that is only slightly warm, often in a disappointing way — lukewarm tea or coffee that was once hot. Tepid (C1, rare) is similar to lukewarm but more formal and often implies a liquid that should be either hot or cold but falls in an unpleasant middle zone. Cool (A2, common) means slightly cold in a way that can be refreshing — cool water on a hot day — or slightly disappointing when warmth is expected. Warm itself sits between cool and hot at a temperature that feels pleasant and comfortable. A useful memory trick: warm is what you want for a bath, hot for a shower, lukewarm is leftover coffee, and cool is lemonade on a summer afternoon.

warm ↗hot ↗lukewarm ↗tepid ↗cool ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • warm weather
  • warm day
  • warm air
  • warm water
  • warm climate
  • warm season

Adverbs

  • pleasantly warm
  • comfortably warm
  • nicely warm
  • sufficiently warm
  • slightly warm
  • warm enough

Phrases

  • warm and cosy
  • warm and inviting
  • get warm
  • keep warm
  • stay warm
  • warm to the touch

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'warm' comes from Old English 'wearm,' which traces back to Proto-Germanic '*warmaz.' This root is shared with German 'warm' and Dutch 'warm.' The original meaning referred strictly to physical temperature. By the 13th century, 'warm' had already developed figurative uses describing emotional affection and enthusiasm, based on the natural metaphor of heat as a sign of life and care. The guessing-game meaning (you're getting warm) appeared in the early 20th century, borrowed from the children's game where players say 'warmer' as someone moves closer to a hidden object.

First known use

12th century

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Verb