Sofa: meaning, definitions and examples

Commonly used in everyday, casual conversation to refer to a comfortable piece of furniture for sitting or lying down.

• I love to relax on the sofa after a long day.
• We need a new sofa for our living room.

Colloquial term similar to 'sofa,' frequently used in American English. It is informal and widely understood.

• I fell asleep on the couch last night.
• Let's take a seat on the couch and watch some TV.

A British English term that refers to a small sofa. It is generally used in more formal or old-fashioned contexts.

• Grandma has a lovely antique settee in her sitting room.
• We inherited a settee from our great aunt.

Often used to describe a piece of furniture without a backrest, usually placed against a wall and can double as a bed. It has an exotic or historical connotation.

• He lay down on the divan and stared at the ceiling.
• The room was furnished with a beautiful Persian divan.

Often used to describe a certain style of sofa that is upholstered in leather and has a deep button-tufted design. It conveys a sense of luxury and sophistication.

• The elegant chesterfield in his study made the room look very sophisticated.
• We sat on the chesterfield discussing the evening plans.