girlfriend

noun

girl·​friend ˈgər(-ə)l-ˌfrend How to pronounce girlfriend (audio)
Synonyms of girlfriendnext
1
: a female friend
2
: a frequent or regular female companion in a romantic or sexual relationship

Synonyms of girlfriend

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Examples of girlfriend in a Sentence

My girlfriend and I have only been dating for a couple of months. She spends hours talking on the phone with her girlfriends.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
During Almand’s trek through the desert, his girlfriend and a photographer rode alongside him to make sure he was hydrated during a stretch without anywhere to stop for supplies. — Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026 The former just had a kid in Oslo with his younger Norwegian girlfriend (Melina Akerman), who abandons them when Matteo decides to move back to Rome to spend more time with his domineering Italian mother (Angela Finocchiaro). — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026 The song was dramatically improved when their boredom became about an entire country rather than a girlfriend. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2026 The girlfriend gave authorities permission to search the truck for Adams’ cellphone, and one of the investigators found a backpack in the bed. — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for girlfriend

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of girlfriend was in 1859

Rhymes for girlfriend

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Browse Nearby Words

girl Friday
girlfriend
Girl Guide
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Cite this Entry

“Girlfriend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/girlfriend. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

girlfriend

noun
girl·​friend ˈgər(-ə)l-ˌfrend How to pronounce girlfriend (audio)
1
: a female friend
2
: a regular female companion in a romantic relationship
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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