What does "plush" mean?
A textile fabric with a nap or shag on one side, longer and softer than the nap of velvet.
Plush
/plʌʃ/ adj, name, noun, verb
adj, name, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A textile fabric with a nap or shag on one side, longer and softer than the nap of velvet.
- Grammar: plush is listed as adj, name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: awe inspiring, awe-inspiring, awful, babylonian.
- Useful contrasts: scraggy, austere, coarse.
- Usage evidence: After the calves are weaned they are moved to the plush river-flats for fattening.
How to use "plush"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "plush" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "plush" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "plush" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "plush" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "plush" is acting as adj, name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "awe inspiring" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "plush", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A textile fabric with a nap or shag on one side, longer and softer than the nap of velvet. countable, uncountable
"Mr. Cooke had had a sloop yacht built at Far Harbor, the completion of which had been delayed, and which was but just delivered. […] The Maria had a cabin, which was finished in hard wood and yellow plush, and accommodations for keeping things cold."
- 2 a fabric with a nap that is longer and softer than velvet wordnet
- 3 A plush toy. countable, uncountable
"When Play Along — the holder of the Care Bears master toy license — placed Care Bears plushes in Spencer Gifts last year, tweens and teenage girls bought the toys."
Verb
- 1 To give a soft, fluffy surface to. transitive
"Green moss plushed the boulders that were stewn ^([sic]) about, reaching up to splash the cliffs with a velvet mantle."
Adjective
- 1 Very extravagant. UK
- 2 Very expensive, or appearing expensive; opulent, luxurious. UK
"They lived in a plush apartment complex."
- 3 Having a soft, fluffy exterior (of a man-made object, especially stuffed animals or upholstery).
"This plush toy is so cute and soft — I want it!"
Adjective
- 1 characterized by extravagance and profusion wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A census-designated place in Lake County, Oregon, United States.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"After the calves are weaned they are moved to the plush river-flats for fattening."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "plush"?
Common synonyms include: awe inspiring, awe-inspiring, awful, babylonian, barbaric, blanket.
How do you use "plush" in a sentence?
After the calves are weaned they are moved to the plush river-flats for fattening.
How do you pronounce "plush"?
Pronounced /plʌʃ/.
Etymology
From French peluche (“fluff, plush”). The fact that historically (in past centuries) plush upholstery was so expensive as to be socially exclusive undoubtedly connects the senses of "luxurious" and "soft".