mate 1 of 2

noun

Definition of matenext
1
as in half
either of a pair matched in one or more qualities have you seen the mate to this glove anywhere?

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in associate
a person frequently seen in the company of another that lout and his mates are known troublemakers in the neighborhood

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3
as in assistant
chiefly British a person who helps a more skilled person a plumber and his mate showed up to fix the sink in our London hotel room

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4
as in partner
the person to whom another is married they vowed to each other that they would remain mates for life

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in friend
chiefly British a person who has a strong liking for and trust in another spent the weekend in London with some of his mates from Oxford

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

mate

2 of 2

verb

as in to sleep
to engage in sexual intercourse cats conceive almost every time they mate

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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 mate
Noun
The amount of daylight, cool temperatures, and intermittent rain in autumn mimic what happens in spring when the peepers actively court and mate. — Sheryl Devore, Chicago Tribune, 13 Oct. 2026 Every gaucho keeps his mate and his radio within close reach. — Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
Choice overload isn’t unique to frogs, or even to mate choice. — Claire Therese Hemingway, The Conversation, 1 Oct. 2026 In addition, the two groups tend to mate on or near their respective host plants, further reducing interbreeding. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mate
  1. half
  2. associate
  3. assistant
  4. partner
  5. friend
  6. sleep
  7. match
  8. buddy
Noun
  • More than half of the district’s student body is Hispanic or Latino.
    — Philip Wang, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The combination of Chance downing teams inside the 10-yard line combined with a suffocating defense could be a recipe for success for TCU in the final half of the season.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of half
Noun
  • Sara Matar, formerly the division’s chief of staff, joined the White House counsel’s office in August as an associate.
    — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Clients and friends of Moncler, students from Parsons School of Design, and members of Leibovitz’s circle of friends and associates, will be attending.
    — David Moin, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of associate
Noun
  • In 2019 he was appointed deputy assistant secretary of defense for strategy and force development.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The legal questions are also different from those raised by earlier smart speakers and voice assistants.
    — MacKenzie Sigalos,Annie Palmer, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of assistant
Noun
  • The question confronting Israel and its international partners is not simply whether money should flow into Gaza, but also who controls it—and whether the next arrangement will avoid the failures of the last.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 18 Oct. 2026
  • In the middle of one of those summer heatwaves this year, Kember was in the promotional cycle for a record with his new partner of 15 years, Panda Bear.
    — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of partner
Noun
  • The friend and my father took my older sister and me out for a walk, and, at a nearby schoolyard, the man hung the camera on an exercise bar.
    — Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2026
  • May his struggles never dim the memories of a sweet man, a dear friend, and a master musician.
    — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of friend
Verb
  • The cars need to charge for about fifty minutes every six to eight hours—a cycle under way twenty-four hours a day, because a Waymo does not sleep at night.
    — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • In the premium version of the app, Health Guardian also monitors blood pressure, insulin resistance, and sleeping trends.
    — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of sleep
Noun
  • The setting's soft color scheme matches the muted tone of his voice, with the congressman wearing a light-blue shirt in the cream-and-beige kitchen.
    — Lara Korte The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The Kansas State High School Activities Association said its scheduled flag football state championship has been suspended, along with any other of its matches through the weekend.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of match
Noun
  • Keith David, Macon Blair, Killer Mike, Cody Lightning, Siena East, and Michael Hitchcock all return as some of Lee’s Tulsa-area buddies, employees, and resentful acquaintances.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Mitt’s old fishing buddy Hewey (John Ortiz) tells Jay that his father plunged into the ocean at the edge of a steep underwater canyon off Monastery Beach, so that’s where Jay is headed.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of buddy

Phrases Containing mate

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matchups
mate
mated
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on mate

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mate

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