Friends — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb noun phrase phrase /ˈfrend/

Meaning & Definition of Friends

Friends (noun)

  1. one attached to another by affection or esteem —sometimes used ironically or humorously to refer to a person who is disliked or annoying
  2. acquaintance
  3. one that is not hostile
  4. a person's closest and dearest friend
  5. a person's most desirable or valuable possession or resource

Friends (verb)

  1. to act as the friend of, befriend
  2. to include (someone) in one's list of designated friends on a social media service

Friends (noun phrase)

  1. people a person knows who have social or political influence or power

Friends (phrase)

  1. to have a friendship or friendly relationship with
  2. to establish a friendship or friendly relations with
  3. surrounded by people who are one's friends and are not threatening in any way
  4. to be someone's closest friend
  5. to become someone's friend —often + with
  6. to continue to be friends

Friends (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a person who has a strong liking for and trust in another

    "really close friends who like to do everything together and are always sharing secrets"

    similar: alter egos, amigos, buddies, chums, compadres, comrades, confidantes, confidants, cronies, familiars, intimates, mates (chiefly British), musketeers, pals
    related: acquaintances, associates, cohorts, colleagues, companions, fellows, hearties, hobnobbers, partners, peers, sports, blood brothers, brothers, main men, sisters, abettors, accomplices, allies, collaborators, confederates, pen pals, benefactors, supporters, sympathizers, well-wishers, friendlies
    opposite: enemies, foes
    near: adversaries, antagonists, competitors, opponents, rivals, archenemies, nemeses

  2. a person who actively supports or favors a cause

    "hopes that the new governor will be a friend to environmental causes"

    similar: advocates, advocators, apostles, backers, boosters, champions, espousers, exponents, expounders, gospelers, heralds, hierophants, high priests, paladins, promoters, proponents, protagonists, supporters, true believers, tub-thumpers, white knights
    related: loyalists, partisans, stalwarts, adherents, cohorts, disciples, followers, interpreters, applauders, cheerleaders, encouragers, fellow travelers
    opposite: adversaries, antagonists, opponents
    near: enemies, foes, rivals, belittlers, critics, faultfinders

Friends (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in befriends

    similar: befriends, associates, chums, companies, consociates, consorts, fraternizes, hangs (around or out), hobnobs, hooks up, messes around, pals (around), runs, sorts, travels, affiliates, allies, attaches, bands, bonds, clubs, collaborates, colludes, confederates, conjoins, connects, cooperates, couples, gangs, gets along, gets on, groups, interrelates, joins, knots, leagues, links, mingles, mixes, rallies, relates, sides, socializes, teams, ties, weds
    opposite: avoids, cold-shoulders, shuns, snubs, alienates, estranges, breaks up, disbands, disperses, splits (up), disjoins, dissociates, disunites, divorces, severs, splits, sunders

Related Entry: Friend (noun)

Friend is a different word from Friends. The synonyms below are for friend, not for friends.

  1. a person who has a strong liking for and trust in another

    "really close friends who like to do everything together and are always sharing secrets"

    similar: alter ego, amigo, buddy, chum, compadre, comrade, confidant, confidante, crony, familiar, intimate, mate (chiefly British), musketeer, pal
    related: acquaintance, associate, cohort, colleague, companion, fellow, hearty, hobnobber, partner, peer, sport, blood brother, brother, main man, sister, abettor, accomplice, ally, collaborator, confederate, pen pal, benefactor, supporter, sympathizer, well-wisher, friendly
    opposite: enemy, foe
    near: adversary, antagonist, competitor, opponent, rival, archenemy, nemesis

  2. a person who actively supports or favors a cause

    "hopes that the new governor will be a friend to environmental causes"

    similar: advocate, advocator, apostle, backer, booster, champion, espouser, exponent, expounder, gospeler, herald, hierophant, high priest, paladin, promoter, proponent, protagonist, supporter, true believer, tub-thumper, white knight
    related: loyalist, partisan, stalwart, adherent, cohort, disciple, follower, interpreter, applauder, cheerleader, encourager, fellow traveler
    opposite: adversary, antagonist, opponent
    near: enemy, foe, rival, belittler, critic, faultfinder

Related Entry: Be friends with (phrase)

Be friends with is a different word from Friends. The synonyms below are for be friends with, not for friends.

  1. to come or be together as friends

    "If you could be friends with any famous person, past or present, who would you pick?"

    similar: associate, chum, company, consociate, consort, fraternize, hang (around or out), hobnob, hook up, mess around, pal (around), run, sort, travel, fall in with, keep company (with), rub elbows (with), take up with
    related: affiliate, ally, attach, band, bond, club, collaborate, collude, confederate, conjoin, connect, cooperate, couple, gang, get along, get on, group, interrelate, join, knot, league, link, mingle, mix, rally, relate, side, socialize, team, tie, wed, befriend, friend
    near: avoid, cold-shoulder, shun, snub, alienate, estrange, break up, disband, disperse, split (up), disjoin, dissociate, disunite, divorce, sever, split, sunder

Related Entry: Been friends with (phrase)

Been friends with is a different word from Friends. The synonyms below are for been friends with, not for friends.

  1. to come or be together as friends

    "If you could be friends with any famous person, past or present, who would you pick?"

    similar: associated, chummed, companied, consociated, consorted, fraternized, hobnobbed, hooked up, hung (around or out), messed around, palled (around), run, sorted, traveled, fallen in with, kept company (with), rubbed elbows (with), taken up with
    related: affiliated, allied, attached, banded, bonded, clubbed, collaborated, colluded, confederated, conjoined, connected, cooperated, coupled, ganged, got along, got on, grouped, interrelated, joined, knotted, leagued, linked, mingled, mixed, rallied, related, sided, socialized, teamed, tied, wedded, befriended, friended
    near: avoided, cold-shouldered, shunned, snubbed, alienated, estranged, broken up, disbanded, dispersed, split (up), disjoined, dissociated, disunited, divorced, severed, split, sundered

Related Entry: Was friends with (phrase)

Was friends with is a different word from Friends. The synonyms below are for was friends with, not for friends.

  1. to come or be together as friends

    "If you could be friends with any famous person, past or present, who would you pick?"

    similar: associated, chummed, companied, consociated, consorted, fraternized, hobnobbed, hooked up, hung (around or out), messed around, palled (around), ran, sorted, traveled, fell in with, kept company (with), rubbed elbows (with), took up with
    related: affiliated, allied, attached, banded, bonded, clubbed, collaborated, colluded, confederated, conjoined, connected, cooperated, coupled, ganged, got along, got on, grouped, interrelated, joined, knotted, leagued, linked, mingled, mixed, rallied, related, sided, socialized, teamed, tied, wedded, befriended, friended
    near: avoided, cold-shouldered, shunned, snubbed, alienated, estranged, broke up, disbanded, dispersed, split (up), disjoined, dissociated, disunited, divorced, severed, split, sundered

Related Entry: Is friends with (phrase)

Is friends with is a different word from Friends. The synonyms below are for is friends with, not for friends.

  1. to come or be together as friends

    "If you could be friends with any famous person, past or present, who would you pick?"

    similar: associates, chums, companies, consociates, consorts, fraternizes, hangs (around or out), hobnobs, hooks up, messes around, pals (around), runs, sorts, travels, falls in with, keeps company (with), rubs elbows (with), takes up with
    related: affiliates, allies, attaches, bands, bonds, clubs, collaborates, colludes, confederates, conjoins, connects, cooperates, couples, gangs, gets along, gets on, groups, interrelates, joins, knots, leagues, links, mingles, mixes, rallies, relates, sides, socializes, teams, ties, weds, befriends, friends
    near: avoids, cold-shoulders, shuns, snubs, alienates, estranges, breaks up, disbands, disperses, splits (up), disjoins, dissociates, disunites, divorces, severs, splits, sunders

Related Entry: Being friends with (phrase)

Being friends with is a different word from Friends. The synonyms below are for being friends with, not for friends.

  1. to come or be together as friends

    "If you could be friends with any famous person, past or present, who would you pick?"

    similar: associating, chumming, companying, consociating, consorting, fraternizing, hanging (around or out), hobnobbing, hooking up, messing around, palling (around), running, sorting, traveling, falling in with, keeping company (with), rubbing elbows (with), taking up with
    related: affiliating, allying, attaching, banding, bonding, clubbing, collaborating, colluding, confederating, conjoining, connecting, cooperating, coupling, ganging, getting along, getting on, grouping, interrelating, joining, knotting, leaguing, linking, mingling, mixing, rallying, relating, siding, socializing, teaming, tying, wedding, befriending, friending
    near: avoiding, cold-shouldering, shunning, snubbing, alienating, estranging, breaking up, disbanding, dispersing, splitting (up), disjoining, dissociating, disuniting, divorcing, severing, splitting, sundering

Related Entry: Make (verb)

Make is a different word from Friends. The synonyms below are for make, not for friends.

  1. to bring into being by combining, shaping, or transforming materials

    "will you help me make the dough for the cookies?"

    similar: fabricate, fashion, form, frame, manufacture, produce, put together
    related: assemble, build, construct, erect, make up, put up, raise, rear, set up, structure, throw up, craft, handcraft, hew, forge, mold, shape, cobble (together or up), knock out, patch (together), prefabricate, create, invent, mint, originate, establish, father, institute, organize, concoct, contrive, cook (up), design, devise, imagine, think (up), conceive, envisage, picture, visualize, refashion, remake, remanufacture
    near: disassemble, dismantle, take apart, break up, dismember, abolish, annihilate, demolish, destroy, devastate, eradicate, exterminate, extinguish, flatten, pulverize, raze, ruin, shatter, smash, wreck, blow up, explode

  2. to obtain (as a goal) through effort

    "we finally made it!"

    similar: achieve, attain, bag, chalk up, clock (up) (chiefly British), gain, hit, log, notch (up), rack up, ring up, score, win
    related: acquire, capture, carry, draw, garner, get, land, obtain, procure, realize, secure, amount (to), approach, equal, match, measure up (to), meet, rival, tie, touch, beat, excel, outdo, surpass, top
    near: fall short (of), miss, fail (at), lose

  3. to be the cause of (a situation, action, or state of mind)

    "the cats made quite a disturbance when they knocked the Christmas tree over"

    similar: beget, breed, bring, bring about, bring on, catalyze, cause, create, do, draw on, effect, effectuate, engender, generate, induce, invoke, occasion, produce, prompt, result (in), spawn, translate (into), work, yield, bring forth, give rise to
    related: conduce (to), contribute (to), decide, determine, begin, establish, father, found, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, institute, introduce, launch, pioneer, set, set up, start, advance, cultivate, develop, encourage, forward, foster, further, nourish, nurture, promote, enact, render, turn out
    near: impede, limit, restrict, clamp down (on), crack down (on), crush, dampen, put down, quash, quell, repress, smother, squash, squelch, stifle, subdue, suppress, arrest, check, control, curb, inhibit, rein (in), restrain, retard, can (slang), kill, snuff (out), still, abolish, demolish, destroy, extinguish, liquidate, quench

  4. to carry through (as a process) to completion

    "one person from each department will be asked to make a short presentation at the meeting"

    similar: accomplish, achieve, bring off, carry off, carry out, commit, compass, do, execute, follow through (with), fulfill, negotiate, perform, perpetrate, prosecute, pull off, put through, go through
    related: bring about, effect, effectuate, implement, ace, nail, engage (in), practice, work (at), reduplicate, reenact, repeat, actualize, attain, realize, complete, end, finish, wind up
    near: fail, skimp, slight, slur

  5. to cause (a person) to give in to pressure

    "made him do all the work while everyone else just lounged around"

    similar: blackjack, coerce, compel, constrain, dragoon, drive, force, impel, impress, muscle, obligate, oblige, press, pressure, sandbag, twist one's arm
    related: browbeat, bulldoze, bully, cow, hector, intimidate, blackmail, high-pressure, menace, shame, terrorize, threaten, drag, badger, harass, hound
    near: allow, let, permit, argue, convince, induce, move, persuade, prevail (on or upon), satisfy, talk (into), win (over)

  6. to decide the size, amount, number, or distance of (something) without actual measurement

    "I make that to be about six feet long"

    similar: calculate, call, conjecture, estimate, figure, gauge, guess, judge, place, put, reckon, suppose
    related: conclude, deduce, extrapolate, gather, infer, reason, understand
    near: calibrate, measure, scale, compute, work out

  7. to form by putting together parts or materials

    "make a model airplane"

    similar: assemble, build, confect, construct, erect, fabricate, make up, piece, put up, raise, rear, set up, put together
    related: carpenter, fashion, forge, frame, hammer, handcraft, manufacture, mold, produce, shape, prefabricate, begin, coin, create, generate, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, invent, originate, constitute, establish, father, found, institute, organize, conceive, concoct, contrive, cook (up), design, devise, imagine, think (up), reassemble, rebuild, reconstruct, redevelop, reedify (British), retrofit, jerry-build, rig (up), throw up, combine, unite
    opposite: demount, disassemble, dismantle, dismember, knock down, strike, take down, tear down
    near: demolish, destroy, devastate, flatten, level, pull down, pulverize, raze, ruin, ruinate, shatter, smash, wreck, blow up, explode, detach, disengage, disconnect, disjoin, disunite, divide, separate

  8. to give the impression of being

    "the family made merry despite their financial worries"

    similar: act, appear, come across (as), come off (as), feel, look, seem, sound
    related: dissemble, pretend, recall, resemble, suggest, hint, imply, insinuate

  9. to go on a specified course or in a certain direction

    "the baby made straight for the toy lying on the rug"

    similar: bear, head
    related: aim, bend, direct, point, turn, beeline, light out, put, put out, set off, set out, strike, take off, face, orient, steer, about-face, back, come about, come round, cut, incline, put about, reverse, swerve, tack, turn back, veer, wheel, yaw

  10. to put into effect through legislative or authoritative action

    "the legislature failed to make any new laws last session"

    similar: constitute, enact, lay down, legislate, ordain, pass
    related: reenact, repass, bring about, effect, allow, authorize, permit, sanction, decree, dictate, proclaim, administer, execute, approve, confirm, ratify
    opposite: repeal, rescind, revoke
    near: abolish, abrogate, annul, cancel, invalidate, kill, nullify, overturn, reverse, void

  11. to receive as return for effort

    "I make considerably more money now than I did when I first started working here"

    similar: acquire, attain, bag, bring in, capture, carry, come by, draw, earn, gain, garner, get, knock down, land, obtain, procure, pull down, realize, reap, secure, win
    related: clear, gross, net, accomplish, achieve, notch (up), score, accumulate, amass, rack up, catch, pick up, annex, occupy, take over, reacquire, reattain, recapture, regain, remake
    opposite: forfeit, lose
    near: accord, give, grant, pay, give up, hand over, part (with), relinquish, surrender, yield

  12. to have a clear idea of

    "what do you make of the latest information?"

    similar: appreciate, apprehend, assimilate, behold, catch, catch on (to), cognize, compass, comprehend, conceive, cotton (to or on to), decipher, decode, dig, discern, get, grasp, grok, intuit, know, make out, perceive, recognize, register, savvy, see, seize, sense, tumble (to), twig, understand, pick up on
    related: absorb, digest, take in, realize, fathom, penetrate, pierce
    opposite: miss
    near: misapprehend, misconceive, misconstrue, misinterpret, misperceive, misread, mistake, misunderstand

  13. to position (something) so as to prevent passage through an opening

    "make the gate when ye leave"

    similar: close, shut, steek (chiefly Scottish)
    related: bar, batten (down), bolt, chain, fasten, latch, lock, plug, seal, stopper, secure, bang, clap, slam
    opposite: open
    near: unbar, unbolt, unchain, unfasten, unlatch, unlock, unseal

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Friends

The most common words with a similar meaning to Friends:

Chiefly British: mates
alter egos, amigos, buddies, chums, compadres, comrades, confidantes, confidants, cronies, familiars, intimates, musketeers, pals, advocates, advocators, apostles, backers, boosters, champions, espousers, exponents, expounders, gospelers, heralds, hierophants, high priests, paladins, promoters, proponents, protagonists, supporters, true believers, tub-thumpers, white knights, befriends, associates, companies, consociates, consorts, fraternizes

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Friends

Words with the opposite meaning of Friends:

enemies, foes, adversaries, antagonists, opponents, avoids, cold-shoulders, shuns, snubs, alienates, estranges, breaks up, disbands, disperses, splits (up), disjoins, dissociates, disunites, divorces, severs, splits, sunders

Related Words for Friends

acquaintances, cohorts, colleagues, companions, fellows, hearties, hobnobbers, partners, peers, sports, blood brothers, brothers, main men, sisters, abettors, accomplices, collaborators, pen pals, benefactors, sympathizers, well-wishers, friendlies, loyalists, partisans, stalwarts, adherents, disciples, followers, interpreters, applauders

Near Antonyms of Friends

competitors, rivals, archenemies, nemeses, belittlers, critics, faultfinders

Word Forms of Friends

Inflections: friended, friending, best friends

Derived words: friendless (adjective), friendlessness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Friends

Middle English frend, from Old English frēond; akin to Old High German friunt friend, Old English frēon to love, frēo free

First known use: before 12th century

Words & Phrases Containing Friends

friends in high places, be friends with, make friends with, among friends, be best friends with, make friends, stay friends

Frequently Asked Questions about Friends

What does "Friends" mean?

"Friends" means one attached to another by affection or esteem —sometimes used ironically or humorously to refer to a person who is disliked or annoying. As an a noun, a verb, a noun phrase and a phrase, it is defined as: one attached to another by affection or esteem —sometimes used ironically or humorously to refer to a person who is disliked or annoying. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Friends"?

Other words for "Friends" include alter egos, amigos, buddies, chums, compadres, comrades, confidantes and confidants. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Friends" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Friends"?

There are 113 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Friends". Common alternatives include alter egos, amigos, buddies, chums, compadres, comrades, confidantes, confidants, cronies and familiars.

What is the opposite of "Friends"?

Antonyms of "Friends" include enemies, foes, adversaries, antagonists, opponents, avoids, cold-shoulders and shuns. Near antonyms include competitors, rivals, archenemies and nemeses.

How do you use "Friends" in a sentence?

Examples of "Friends" in a sentence: "really close friends who like to do everything together and are always sharing secrets"; "hopes that the new governor will be a friend to environmental causes".

Is "Friends" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Friends" can be used as a noun, a verb, a noun phrase and a phrase, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Friends"?

"Friends" is pronounced /ˈfrend/.

What is the origin of the word "Friends"?

"Friends" comes from Middle English frend, from Old English frēond; akin to Old High German friunt friend, Old English frēon to love, frēo free. First known use: before 12th century.