friends 1 of 2

noun

plural of friend
1
as in buddies
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in supporters
a person who actively supports or favors a cause hopes that the new governor will be a friend to environmental causes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

friends

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of friend
as in associates

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 friends
Noun
The Philly shoegaze band calls on friends from across genres for a wide-spanning compilation that’s equal parts label sampler, B-sides showcase, and assembly of rising stars. — Abby Jones, Pitchfork, 19 Oct. 2026 Those who show up in tough times are rewarded, while fair-weather friends are often excluded from lucrative deals. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026 The job could be physically demanding, the newspaper reported, and teaching associates sometimes struggled to explain their unusual profession to friends and relatives. — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 18 Oct. 2026 By tonight, the Moon enters Aquarius and your attention shifts toward friends, ideas, and what comes next. — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026 But friends said their survival was a spot of hope in a community in mourning. — Martha Bellisle, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026 David Boscarino, a 63-year-old Bethany resident who attended with his wife, Carol, and three friends, carried a two-sided poster. — Reginald David, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026 The best friends were riding together on an electric bicycle when Battiloro allegedly struck them from behind. — Leigh Egan, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026 The film opens on a beach, with Selvi and her friends flying kites, before moving into domestic interiors where her world narrows. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for friends
  1. buddies
  2. supporters
  3. associates
  4. colleagues
  5. proponents
  6. befriends
  7. confidants
  8. advocates
Noun
  • My grandfather reliably spoke warmly of his years in service and antique buddies from his army years traveled from across the country to come to a grand party thrown for my grandparents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary in 1991.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Imagine showing off that feature to your golf buddies after a round.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of buddies
Noun
  • Student groups protesting since mid-September through school blockades have urged supporters to join them.
    — SYLVIE CORBET, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
  • An hour before a ball was even kicked on Sunday afternoon, the beating of drums and chanting from the River Guard supporters group could be heard loud and clear from the locker rooms at the Boas Soccer Complex.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of supporters
Verb
  • Innova also associates afternoon snacking specifically with satisfaction, while other dayparts lean toward refreshment or indulgence.
    — Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The Shiji associates Sun Tzu with Wu’s campaigns against its powerful rival Chu, including the campaign that culminated in the capture of the Chu capital, Ying, in 506 bce.
    — Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of associates
Noun
  • New Skydance content sales chief David Decker was all smiles at the WBD stand, able to look over and see his new Paramount colleagues just along the beachfront.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Eventually, Chili invites Lee over to his house, far away from the ears of his former colleagues shooting pool at Secrets.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of colleagues
Noun
  • That could explain why spinning galaxies can be held together without needing an extra source of gravity from dark matter, its proponents have argued.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Peptide proponents argue that shoddy manufacturing — not the peptides — causes harm.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of proponents
Verb
  • The whale’s gullet is flickeringly lit by a bioluminescent jellyfish that Jay sort of befriends.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Other standouts include Manon Gage as a trouble-making hippie; a very hungry brown bear; Joy Suprano as a budding feminist who befriends Pamela; and a prolific TV presence who guest stars in the second half of the season.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of befriends
Noun
  • Big Alfred Williams and Charles Johnson remain close friends and confidants.
    — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Sagittarius Lean on close confidants for perspective when things feel overwhelming.
    — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of confidants
Noun
  • In March 2026, two presidential commissions recommended that the evictions continue in order to protect wildlife, in a process that included few Maasai, Indigenous peoples’ advocates at the Oakland Institute reported.
    — David Ginsburg, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026
  • That's one reason Levin, along with many other public school advocates, continues to push back against the tax credit.
    — Cory Turner, NPR, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of advocates

Phrases Containing friends

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friends
friendship
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Cite this Entry

“Friends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/friends. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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