plush

plush — adjective

1. pleasantly soft when you touch it.

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

pleasantly soft when you touch it.

Example

The baby fell asleep on a plush blue blanket.

plush + fabric or surface

Under her bare feet, the new rug felt plush.

linking verb: feel plush

Common collocations
  • plush blanket
  • plush rug
  • plush bathrobe
  • plush cushions
Synonyms
  • soft

    the broad everyday word, without the idea of thickness

  • velvety

    suggests an especially smooth surface like velvet

  • fluffy

    stresses light loose softness rather than a rich surface

Antonyms
  • rough

    not smooth or pleasant to touch

  • stiff

    not soft or easy to press

  • hard

    solid and not soft under your hand

Grammar Patterns

plush + noun

[surface/fabric] + feel + plush

Usage Note

Often describes cloth, rugs, towels, cushions, and similar surfaces. Distinguish from sense 2, which suggests an expensive, luxurious setting rather than touch alone.

Common Mistakes

The cheap plastic chair was plush.
The chair cushion was plush.
this sense usually describes a soft surface, not a hard object as a whole.

2. very comfortable and high in quality, in a way that shows wealth.

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

very comfortable and high in quality, in a way that shows wealth.

Example

The newlyweds spent their honeymoon in a plush hotel by the lake.

plush + hotel or apartment

The CEO arrived in a plush car with cream leather seats.

Common collocations
  • plush hotel
  • plush apartment
  • plush car
  • plush seats
Synonyms
  • luxurious

    broader and slightly more neutral in tone

  • opulent

    more formal and suggests showy wealth

  • upscale

    common in business or travel writing for high-end places

  • lavish

    often stresses abundance or generous spending

Antonyms
  • basic

    simple and without extra comfort

  • plain

    not decorated or rich-looking

  • shabby

    worn and far from luxurious

Grammar Patterns

plush + place

plush + furniture or interior noun

Usage Note

Most common for hotels, apartments, offices, cars, and interiors. Unlike sense 1, it adds the idea of money, comfort, and status, not just softness.

Common Mistakes

The ticket was plush.
The seats were plush.
this sense describes a place, room, vehicle, or furnishing, not the price itself.

plush — noun

Word family

  • plushly
    adverbC1
  • plushness
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/2

For adjective/2, plush is a friendly everyday word for something comfortable, expensive-looking, and slightly indulgent, especially a hotel, apartment, car, or theater. Luxurious is broader and more neutral: it can describe service, food, or a whole lifestyle, not only furniture or interiors. Opulent is stronger and more formal, and it suggests rich decoration that may even feel showy. Lavish often focuses on abundance or generous spending. Upscale is common in travel and business writing for a high-end image, but it does not always suggest softness or deep comfort. A plush hotel room has thick carpets and soft chairs; an upscale cafe may look stylish without feeling plush.

luxurious ↗opulentlavishupscale

Etymology

Middle FrenchEnglish

Plush entered English in the late 1500s from Middle French peluche, the name of a hairy or soft fabric. The adjective first meant 'made of plush' and later developed the modern sense 'luxurious', especially for rich and comfortable places or furnishings.