furnish
gb/fˈɚnɪʃ/ us/fˈɚnɪʃ/
A2
English
~ 3500
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
Provide furniture for a place
To put tables, chairs, and other furniture in a room or house.
Usage pattern:
to furnish [a room/building] with [furniture]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'furnish' with 'decorate'; 'decorate' means to make something look nice, while 'furnish' means to put in furniture.
Synonyms
equip (Implies providing necessary items, not limited to furniture.)
Antonyms
strip (To remove all furniture and fittings from a place.)
Collocations
furnish a room
|furnish an apartment
|fully furnished
|newly furnished
|furnish with
Themes
daily life
|home
|interior design
|housing
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- They plan to furnish the living room with modern sofas and chairs.
- The hotel will furnish all guest rooms before opening.
- We furnished our new apartment within a week of moving in.
Learner examples
- We will furnish the bedroom tomorrow.
- They furnished the office with new desks.
- The house is fully furnished.
Verb
formal
B2
action
2
Provide something needed or requested
To give someone what they need or ask for.
Usage pattern:
to furnish [someone] with [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may think this use is only about furniture; in formal contexts, it can mean supplying anything needed.
Synonyms
provide (More general and common in everyday speech.)
Antonyms
withhold (To refuse to give something that is needed or asked for.)
Collocations
furnish information
|furnish details
|furnish evidence
|furnish a copy
Themes
business
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Please furnish me with your contact details.
- The agency furnished the client with the necessary documents.
- He was asked to furnish proof of his identity.
Learner examples
- The school furnished books to all students.
- Please furnish us with more information.
- They furnished the police with photos.
Grammar
Dictionary form
furnish
IPA
GB/fˈɚnɪʃ/
US/fˈɚnɪʃ/
Syllables & stress
fur - nish (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (fur)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: furnish
- 3rd Person Singular: furnishes
- Present Participle: furnishing
- Past: furnished
Word family
Forms
furnishes
verb
furnishing
verb
furnished
verb
Core family
furniture
noun A2
Negative and opposite forms
unfurnished
adjective
Advanced or less common
refurnish
verb
Expressions
fully furnished
1/fˈʊli fˈɚnɪʃt/
fixed phrase
Having all necessary furniture included
A place that has all the furniture it needs.
Examples
- The apartment is fully furnished and ready to move in.
- They rented a fully furnished house for the summer.
furnish someone with something
1/fˈɚnɪʃ sˈʌmwˌʌn wˈɪθ sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
formal
Provide someone with what they need
To give someone what they need or ask for.
Examples
- The company furnished its employees with protective gear.
- Please furnish the committee with all relevant reports.