Synonym Chooser

How does the verb furnish contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of furnish are accoutre, appoint, equip, and outfit. While all these words mean "to supply one with what is needed," furnish implies the provision of any or all essentials for performing a function.

a sparsely furnished apartment

When would accoutre be a good substitute for furnish?

The synonyms accoutre and furnish are sometimes interchangeable, but accoutre suggests the supplying of personal dress or equipment for a special activity.

fully accoutred members of a polar expedition

When is appoint a more appropriate choice than furnish?

The words appoint and furnish can be used in similar contexts, but appoint implies provision of complete and usually elegant or elaborate equipment or furnishings.

a lavishly appointed apartment

When can equip be used instead of furnish?

While the synonyms equip and furnish are close in meaning, equip suggests the provision of something making for efficiency in action or use.

a fully equipped kitchen

Where would outfit be a reasonable alternative to furnish?

While in some cases nearly identical to furnish, outfit implies provision of a complete list or set of articles as for a journey, an expedition, or a special occupation.

outfitted the family for a ski trip

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of furnish Management is currently working on finalizing its 2026 to 2028 strategic plan of which creation, production and distribution of high-quality furnishing fabrics and wall coverings remains at the core. Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2025 Now that might make some immediately reevaluate their life choices but not Ian Schwartz, an avid golfer and vice president of a textile and furnishing company. Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2025 Those who were furnishing their homes in the 1990s might remember the decorator table trend. Katie Akin, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2025 The tasting room is thoughtfully furnished, comfortable and pet- and family-friendly. Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for furnish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for furnish
Verb
  • The mind could wander briefly about the Giants riding a two-game winning streak into a Thursday Night Football matchup with the Eagles, equipped to knock off their tormentors who suddenly look vulnerable.
    Dan Duggan, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
  • The country's National Disaster Mitigation Agency told AP that rescue teams were using heavy excavators equipped with jackhammers and circular saws, as well as their bare hands on occasion, to find the 14 students still missing.
    Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Numbers provided by Cincinnati Public Schools show that the school district had 4,326 homeless students last year, representing a 77% increase from a decade prior, despite total student enrollment increasing by only 538 students over the same period of time.
    Elizabeth B. Kim, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Green Hill plans to help restart Smith Springs financially, provide manpower for physical work and could potentially have some of its congregants move to Smith Springs Baptist, officials said.
    Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • But tech firms are betting the line will go further up, with Samsung agreeing to supply chips for OpenAI’s $500-billion data center investment.
    Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Back in May, one Facebook user posted a question in the public group What to pack for Italy - Travel Essentials regarding whether or not Italian hotels supplied conditioner for guests.
    Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • How does a century-old industrial company such as Firmenich (renamed DSM-Firmenich following its 2023 merger with Dutch chemical firm DSM) manage to remain globally competitive today, given that a large share of its cost base is in the most expensive country in the world?
    Peter Vanham, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires employers to give 60 days’ notice ahead of mass layoffs.
    Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Furnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/furnish. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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