cozy

1 of 3

adjective

co·​zy ˈkō-zē How to pronounce cozy (audio)
cozier; coziest
1
a
: enjoying or affording warmth and ease : snug
a cozy lakeside cabin
b
: marked by or providing contentment or comfort
won by a cozy margin
2
a
: marked by the intimacy of the family or a close group
We had a cozy dinner with the whole family.
b
: marked by or suggesting close association or connivance
a cozy agreement
His political opponents accused him of getting too cozy with powerful companies.
3
: marked by a discreet and cautious attitude or procedure
a cozy waiting game
cozily adverb
coziness noun

cozy

2 of 3

noun

plural cozies
1
: a padded covering especially for a teapot to keep the contents hot
2
: a light detective story that usually features a well-educated protagonist and little explicit violence

cozy

3 of 3

adverb

: in a cautious manner
… play it cozy and wait for the other team to make a mistake.Bobby Dodd
Choose the Right Synonym for cozy

comfortable, cozy, snug, easy, restful mean enjoying or providing a position of contentment and security.

comfortable applies to anything that encourages serenity, well-being, or complacency as well as physical ease.

started feeling comfortable in our new surroundings

cozy suggests warmth, shelter, assured ease, and friendliness.

a cozy neighborhood coffee shop

snug suggests having just enough space for comfort and safety but no more.

a snug little cottage

easy implies relief from or absence of anything likely to cause discomfort or constraint.

living in easy circumstances

restful applies to whatever induces or contributes to rest or relaxation.

a quiet restful vacation

Examples of cozy in a Sentence

Adjective The room was warm and cozy. We had a cozy dinner with the whole family. I spent a cozy evening reading in front of the fire. He claims that there is a cozy arrangement between the police and the drug dealers.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
This tells me that there is ample room to improve our nighttime wardrobe and treat bedtime as a way to promote individual style—and be cozy while doing so. Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024 Add in your favorite new mystery novel, a wool blanket and some Earl Gray to really round out the wintry vibes and stay cozy until spring has sprung. Will Porter, Architectural Digest, 19 Nov. 2024
Noun
No beer cozies, but for those manifesting a presidential run, there were plenty of shaman 2024 bumper stickers. Frederick Kaufman, Harper's Magazine, 22 Apr. 2024 Grandma will agree that snuggling up in a pair of these cute cozies is an ideal way to wind down at the end of a long day. Lizzy Briskin, Peoplemag, 3 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for cozy 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective, Noun, and Adverb

perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian koselig cozy

First Known Use

Adjective

1709, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1863, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1946, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cozy was in 1709

Dictionary Entries Near cozy

Cite this Entry

“Cozy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cozy. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

cozy

1 of 2 adjective
co·​zy ˈkō-zē How to pronounce cozy (audio)
cozier; coziest
cozily adverb
coziness noun

cozy

2 of 2 noun
plural cozies
: a padded cover for a teapot used to keep the contents hot

More from Merriam-Webster on cozy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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