Plush: Definition, Usage & Synonyms Guide

Meaning 1：luxuriously soft and comfortable (plush)

plush 🔊

/plʌʃ/

adj.

Feeling very soft, expensive, and extremely comfortable, like a high-end hotel bed or a fancy sofa.

Plush living room scene with soft sofa, velvet cushions, and thick carpet illustrating luxury comfort.

luxuriously soft and comfortable 🔊

➕

/lʌɡˈʒʊr.i.əs.li sɒft ənd ˈkʌm.fə.tə.bəl/

adj.

Describes something, often fabric or furnishings, that is very soft, thick, and implies comfort and expensive quality.

📁 Category：Objects & Materials 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From French 'peluche' (16th c.), possibly via Latin 'pilus' (hair), referring to a fabric with a long, soft nap.

💡 Mnemonic

PLUSH sofas feel like a PLUSH velvet cushion - thick, soft, and expensive.

📖 Example

After saving for a year, they finally bought the large, plush sofa they had always dreamed of. 🔊 After saving for a year, they finally acquired the large, luxurious sofa they had always desired.

🔗 Collocations

plush carpet – a very soft, thick, and luxurious carpet

plush hotel – a very comfortable and high-end hotel

plush toy – a soft stuffed toy, often for children

🔄 Synonyms

luxurious (adj.) – extremely comfortable, elegant, and expensive

sumptuous (adj.) – splendid and expensive-looking

opulent (adj.) – characterized by rich abundance and lavishness

🚫 Antonyms

spartan (adj.) – simple and plain, without comfort or luxury

austere (adj.) – severely simple, plain, and without comfort

bare (adj.) – without the usual covering or contents; basic

🌱 Derivatives

plushly (adv.) – in a plush manner; luxuriously

plushness (n.) – the quality of being plush; luxurious softness

📖 Cultural Story

Entered English from French in the late 18th century, originally describing a rich fabric of silk, cotton, or wool with a long, soft pile. It became synonymous with luxury, associated with high-end interiors, theatres (plush seats), and later, high-quality stuffed toys (plush toys).