Synonyms

befriend

American

[bih-frend] / bɪˈfrɛnd /

verb (used with object)

to make friends or become friendly with; act as a friend to; help; aid.

to befriend the lonely and the disregarded.

Synonyms:

welcome , succor , sustain , encourage , assist , associate , ally

befriend British

/ bɪˈfrɛnd /

verb

(tr) to be a friend to; assist; favour

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

unbefriended adjective

Etymology

Origin of befriend

First recorded in 1550–60; be- + friend

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Henry bides his time, watching other subjects closely before befriending Eleven.

From BBC

Two people were seen leaving the building where she was found, including a woman Aishat had befriended not long before her death.

From BBC

An investigation conducted by the Mexican state attorney general’s Specialized Prosecutor’s Office in Crimes Against Life determined that Raya arrived at the location on the night of April 27 and befriended the men.

From Los Angeles Times

Ninety-five percent said they would help peers who were feeling down, and nearly 90% wanted to befriend students they didn’t know.

From The Wall Street Journal

The family lived in a cottage nearby and befriended members of the Brooklyn Dodgers, who stayed at the inn for spring training during World War II.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023