1
as in encouraging
making one feel good inside
the comforting smell of fresh bread
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in relaxing
tending to calm the emotions and relieve stress
a long comforting soak in a hot bath
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in reassurance
the giving of hope and strength in times of grief, distress, or suffering
the comforting of the sick has always been regarded as one of the major acts of charity
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in reassuring
to ease the grief or distress of
the first responders did their best to comfort the victims of the terrible tornado
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of comforting
Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Maybe the pretense was comforting to him, too.
—Cassandra Neyenesch, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026
After three days on the lam, Chesney was coaxed back with comforting voices and familiar scents.
—Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2026
His voice is there as a comforting guide as is the physical iconography of his remarkable life.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Calabria’s food is both bold and comforting.
—Jenna Curcio, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Mar. 2026
Perhaps pasta or pizza with cheese is so comforting because we’re literally being mothered by flowering plants and bovines?
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
If All Creatures Great and Small is our cozy and comforting show in this unending hellscape, The Forsytes can be our escapist junk food.
—Alice Burton, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2026
Of course, formulaic crime dramas can be comforting.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
For quite some time, the repetitive daily schedule was comforting for a methodical person such as myself.
—Des Moines Register, 29 Mar. 2026
No, a restaurant where conviviality flows like a broken water main, and the food is rich, comforting and detonating with flavor.
—Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 16 Mar. 2026
The Vatican released on Monday details of Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming four-nation Africa tour, suggesting Christian-Muslim relations, comforting victims of violence and encouraging the Catholic community in former European colonies will be key themes.
—ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
Your domestic world is comforting.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2026
Vandy’s star guard Tyler Tanner, who finished with 20, ran the length of the court smiling, unbothered, so often that Florida took to comforting him.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 14 Mar. 2026
The food's never been better with a lineup of comforting Italian/American dishes.
—The Providence Journal, 13 Mar. 2026
There’s the one about afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Both Tehran and Washington are pushing their own comforting versions of reality.
—Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Maybe the pretense was comforting to him, too.
—Cassandra Neyenesch, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026
After three days on the lam, Chesney was coaxed back with comforting voices and familiar scents.
—Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2026
His voice is there as a comforting guide as is the physical iconography of his remarkable life.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Calabria’s food is both bold and comforting.
—Jenna Curcio, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Mar. 2026
Perhaps pasta or pizza with cheese is so comforting because we’re literally being mothered by flowering plants and bovines?
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
If All Creatures Great and Small is our cozy and comforting show in this unending hellscape, The Forsytes can be our escapist junk food.
—Alice Burton, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2026
Of course, formulaic crime dramas can be comforting.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
The rescue dog from Huntington Beach, California, who worked as a dedicated therapy dog comforting veterans, was a five-time dog surfing world champion and was inducted into the Surfers' Hall of Fame in 2024, according to the Surfers' Hall of Fame website.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
For quite some time, the repetitive daily schedule was comforting for a methodical person such as myself.
—Des Moines Register, 29 Mar. 2026
No, a restaurant where conviviality flows like a broken water main, and the food is rich, comforting and detonating with flavor.
—Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 16 Mar. 2026
The Vatican released on Monday details of Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming four-nation Africa tour, suggesting Christian-Muslim relations, comforting victims of violence and encouraging the Catholic community in former European colonies will be key themes.
—ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
Your domestic world is comforting.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2026
Vandy’s star guard Tyler Tanner, who finished with 20, ran the length of the court smiling, unbothered, so often that Florida took to comforting him.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 14 Mar. 2026
The food's never been better with a lineup of comforting Italian/American dishes.
—The Providence Journal, 13 Mar. 2026
There’s the one about afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comforting
Adjective
-
Davies' assist for Karl's winner marked an encouraging return from a hamstring injury for the Canada left back ahead of the World Cup.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Despite the severity of his injuries, McManus notes, Peanut's prognosis is encouraging.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Few things can ruin a relaxing afternoon outdoors faster than an uninvited wasp buzzing around your head.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The cocooning effect is helped along by Jacques Garcia’s interiors, layered with taupes and burgundies, velvet and lacquer (and some 6,000 meters of damask silk thrown in the mix), into a hideaway that’s both ornate and relaxing.—
Lindsey Tramuta,
Robb Report,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Social butterfly Venus is reaching from your reassurance zone to square powerhouse Pluto, currently in your sign!—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Things turned sour despite reassurances that the data center would generate $5 million in annual revenue to support park maintenance, libraries and repairs without raising residential taxes.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That’s reassuring for Federal Reserve policymakers, who pay close attention to people’s perception of prices, particularly over the long run.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
-
His mandate will be reassuring US consumers about the trajectory of their energy bills — gasoline is now nearly $4 per gallon on average nationwide, the highest level since 2023.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The brand is now repositioning itself as a lifestyle rewards program that goes beyond rewarding expenditures on rent to include broader housing expenses like mortgages.—
Katherine Fan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
-
This excursion offers a rewarding ratio of natural wonders per miles driven.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The formula includes soothing hydrators such as glycerin, dimethicone, and glyceryl behenate, plus antioxidants (vitamin E and C derivatives) to help calm and protect the skin.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The design is modern and clean-lined with soaring peaked ceilings, lots of dark wood, soothing white and neutral accents and, importantly, private outdoor space.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Bono shared a note with fans, once again assuring them that a new album is still in the works, and that these EPs are side detours on the way to a wholly separate full-length.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Pelle Larsson added 20 points and a career-high 10 rebounds for Miami (40-36), which kept some realistic hope of getting out of the play-in tournament range — or at least getting into one of the top two spots and therefore assuring itself two chances of making the playoffs — alive with the win.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The Inn stays shut during winter and ‘pack ice’ season, which some locals will tell you is the most beautiful time of all—for snowmobiling and snowshoeing through the Island’s interior by day, and come evening, getting invited into someone's warm shed for a tipple and a chat.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
-
In 2001, the couple, who did not have children, retired to Miami in search of warmer beaches.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Comforting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comforting. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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