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View definitions for sofa

sofa

noun as in couch

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Example Sentences

The screen is cluttered with tiny boxes, some with as many as three or four people stuffed on a sofa in front of their computer.

One was under a sofa and one was hanging on a wall, according to the video.

You sit on a shrouded sofa and gesture grandly for Fatima to sit beside you.

It’s not difficult to set up, and you’ll be able to kick back on the sofa and virtually welcome everyone into your home.

Pair it with a large sofa to add seating without overwhelming the space.

I thanked him, sat down on the sofa, and sipped it through the straw.

The party was full and I found a sofa near a makeshift bar in the corner.

Suddenly, light flooded the room, and I found myself lying on a filthy orange sofa across the room from where my rape occurred.

Darren was the kind of man who'd lug a sofa bed up three flights of stairs without a whisper of complaint.

By Adam Grannick for the Moral Courage Project The two men sit across from each other on a sofa, like old friends.

When I come home from the lessons I fling myself on the sofa, and feel as if I never wanted to get up again.

The Countess drew a beautiful miniature from its case, which lay on the sofa near her, and presented it to her young charge.

Quickly he gained a sofa by the window and dropped down upon it, watching, listening.

He was lounging on his sofa by the window, his eyes closed, while these thoughts flashed through him.

Tony's stool was nearer to the bass keys of the piano, while the sofa Lettice lay upon had certainly been drawn up towards him.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for a sofa?

Sofa is famously interchangeable with the word couch. More on that in the next section.

A love seat is a kind of small sofa or large chair that seats about two people. A similar piece of furniture is sometimes called a chair-and-a-half. 

Less commonly, a small sofa can be called a two-seater or, more fancily, a tête-à-tête or a vis-à-vis. These last two terms are especially used to refer to S-shaped sofas that allow two people to sit facing each other.

An upholstered seat for two or more people can be called a settee.

The word chesterfield can specifically refer to a large, overstuffed sofa with a tall back and arms. In Canada, it’s simply used to refer to a large sofa.

A divan is a sofa that doesn’t have an arm or back. A type of sofa without arms (and sometimes without a back) that’s specifically for reclining can be called a chaise, chaise lounge, or simply lounge.

A davenport is another kind of large sofa, especially one that can be converted into a bed.

Other terms for sofas that can convert into beds are sofa bed, pull-out sofa, convertible sofa, convertible couch, and sleeper sofa. A daybed is one that can be used as a sofa or a bed at different times.

A futon has the same function, but it’s basically a big mattress that folds in half to be a couch.

What is the difference between a sofa and a couch?

Couch comes from the Old French word couche, meaning “bed.” Sofa comes from the Arabic word suffah, meaning “a platform used as a seat.” But the differences in origin don’t affect how they’re used today. People have different preferences about which word they use, and some people use both, but they mean the same thing. A piece of upholstered furniture that seats two or more people, often with a back and at least one arm. Calling a piece of furniture a sofa or a couch implies that it’s upholstered and at least somewhat cushiony. A similar piece of furniture that’s not upholstered (one that’s just wooden, for example) would just be called a bench.

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On this page you'll find 16 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to sofa, such as: love seat, settee, chesterfield, davenport, daybed, and divan.

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

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