comfortably

comfortably — adverb

1. in a way that lets your body relax without pain, pressure, or stress

1.adverbB1
Definition

in a way that lets your body relax without pain, pressure, or stress

Example

Aiko settled comfortably into the armchair by the window with a cup of tea.

settle comfortably into [furniture]

The hotel mattress was soft, and Diego slept comfortably through the night.

Common collocations
  • settle comfortably
  • sit comfortably
  • sleep comfortably
  • fit comfortably
  • lie comfortably
Synonyms
  • cozily

    more personal, suggests warmth and snugness in a small space

  • snugly

    emphasises a tight but pleasant fit

  • restfully

    focuses on relaxation and calmness

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

verb + comfortably

comfortably + adjective (e.g. comfortably warm)

Usage Note

Most common with posture or rest verbs: sit, settle, lie, sleep, fit. Adjective-modifying use is rarer but occurs (comfortably warm, comfortably soft).

Common Mistakes

She lied comfortably on the sofa.
She lay comfortably on the sofa.
'Lied' is the past tense of 'lie' (tell a falsehood); 'lay' is the past tense of 'lie' (recline).

2. in a way that involves no difficulty, effort, or worry; easily

2.adverbB2
Definition

in a way that involves no difficulty, effort, or worry; easily

Example

The home team won the match comfortably by three clear goals.

win comfortably

This printer can comfortably handle over two thousand pages each month.

comfortably handle [quantity]

Common collocations
  • win comfortably
  • handle comfortably
  • pass comfortably
  • fit comfortably
  • sit comfortably (as a measure)
Synonyms
  • easily

    more neutral; 'comfortably' adds a sense of margin or spare capacity

  • effortlessly

    stronger, implying almost no work needed

  • smoothly

    focuses on the process being free of interruptions

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

verb + comfortably

comfortably + comparative adjective (e.g. comfortably above)

Usage Note

Frequently modifies verbs of achieving or managing: win, handle, pass, fit. Also common with comparative adjectives: comfortably above, comfortably ahead, comfortably within.

Common Mistakes

The team won the game comfortable.
The team won the game comfortably.
'Comfortable' is an adjective; 'comfortably' is the adverb needed to modify 'won'.

3. with enough money to pay for the things you need, save for the future, and enjoy

3.adverbB2
Definition

with enough money to pay for the things you need, save for the future, and enjoy life without worrying about costs

Example

Yusuf and his wife live comfortably on one salary while saving for a house.

live comfortably on [income]

With careful budgeting, the retired couple can still live comfortably in this city.

Common collocations
  • live comfortably
  • retire comfortably
  • live comfortably on
  • afford comfortably
Synonyms
  • securely

    broader — can include emotional or job security, not just money

  • well

    vague; 'live well' can mean many things, while 'live comfortably' specifically means financial sufficiency

  • prosperously

    more formal and suggests wealth beyond what is needed

Antonyms
  • poorly

    opposite in terms of financial well-being

  • insecurely

    opposite — lacking financial stability

Grammar Patterns

live comfortably

retire comfortably

live comfortably on [income]

Usage Note

Almost always appears with live or retire. Subject is typically a person, couple, or family. The sentence usually specifies the income source or amount.

Common Mistakes

She lives comfortably in a cottage by the lake.' (physical comfort)
She lives comfortably on her retirement income.
This sense requires context about finances — mention income, salary, or savings to make the meaning clear.
Idioms

comfortably off

idiom

Having enough money to live well without financial worries.

After years of saving, the Smiths are now comfortably off.

Are you comfortably off enough to retire early?

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

Comfortably is the most general word for any situation where physical strain or pressure is absent. Cozily adds a feeling of warmth and pleasant enclosure — you sit cozily by a fire, not cozily on a plane seat. Snugly emphasises a precise, close fit with no extra space, like a lid fitting snugly on a jar or a child tucked snugly into bed. Restfully focuses on the absence of mental or physical agitation — you lie restfully after a massage, but you sit comfortably at a desk. When in doubt, comfortably works in nearly all physical-ease contexts; the others are more specific.

cozilysnuglyrestfullycomfortably ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • very comfortably
  • quite comfortably
  • fairly comfortably
  • most comfortably

Phrases

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Comfortably comes from 'comfort' (from Old French 'confort', meaning strength or help, which came from Latin 'confortare' — to strengthen greatly). English added '-able' to create 'comfortable' (able to give comfort), and then '-ly' turned it into this adverb. The idea moved from 'giving strength' to 'relieving pain' by the 1300s, and by the 1800s people were using it to describe having enough money.