friendship

American

[frend-ship] / ˈfrɛnd ʃɪp /

noun

the state of being a friend; association as friends.

to value a person's friendship.
a friendly relation or intimacy.

Synonyms:

rapport, understanding, accord, harmony
friendly feeling or disposition.

Other Word Forms

prefriendship noun

Etymology

Origin of friendship

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English frēondscipe, equivalent to friend + -ship

Explanation

Friendship is the state of being friends with someone. A good job, good health, and romantic love are important, but without real friendship, your life might not feel full. When we talk about friendship, we're often talking about the value of having friends, not just the fact of it. A book might explore the importance of friendship in a young girl's life. You might decide to stop working such long hours and spend more time developing your friendships, in an effort to lead a happier life. A deep friendship can last through many shifts and changes in life, as long as you write or call every now and then.

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Vocabulary lists containing friendship

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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.

One would have expected better from a book on men and friendship.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Fugard’s friendship — along with that of fellow Serpent Player Winston Ntshona — became among the most formative of Kani’s life.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

Her intervention brought renewed focus to the first couple’s friendship with Epstein, which Trump described as superficial and noted that “overlapping in social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach.”

From Salon • Apr. 13, 2026

The Tisza leader pledged that his first trip abroad as prime minister would be to Warsaw - to reinforce Hungary's 1,000-year friendship with Poland.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

He had shown me what he really thought of our friendship.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

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