bed
23 synonyms and 0 antonyms for bed, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A piece of furniture for sleeping or resting on.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use bed
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old English bedd, "resting place, plot of ground," from an ancient Germanic root possibly connected to a much older word meaning "to dig" — which would also explain the "garden plot" sense.
Full origin of bed →Frequently asked questions
What does “bed” mean?
The word “bed” means a piece of furniture for sleeping or resting on. In plain terms, a place to sleep, a garden plot, or the floor of a river/sea — plus the verb meaning to set something firmly in place.
How do you pronounce “bed”?
“Bed” is pronounced BEHD (/ˈbɛd/ in IPA).
How do you use “bed” in a sentence?
Here is “bed” used in a sentence: “He collapsed onto the bed after the long flight.”
What part of speech is “bed”?
Depending on how it is used, “bed” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “bed” come from?
The word “bed” comes from Old English. From Old English bedd, "resting place, plot of ground," from an ancient Germanic root possibly connected to a much older word meaning "to dig" — which would also explain the "garden plot" sense.
Is “bed” a common word?
“Bed” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “bed” have?
“Bed” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a piece of furniture for sleeping or resting on.
What are the different types of beds?
Common types include single (or twin), double, queen and king beds, sized by width. Others are named by design: bunk beds stack two frames, sofa beds fold out from a couch, four-poster beds have corner posts, and daybeds double as seating. Cots and cribs are small beds for babies.
What is the difference between a bed and a mattress?
The bed is the whole piece of furniture, usually including a frame and a base or slats. The mattress is the thick, padded pad that sits on top and that you actually lie on. You sleep on the mattress, which the bed supports and holds off the floor.
What are the standard bed sizes?
From smallest to largest, the usual run is single (or twin), small double, double, queen, king and super king. Exact measurements vary between countries — UK and US sizes differ — but the order of names stays broadly the same, each step adding width and sometimes length.