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Synonyms

companionable

American  
[kuhm-pan-yuh-nuh-buhl] / kəmˈpæn jə nə bəl /

adjective

  1. possessing the qualities of a good companion; pleasant to be with; congenial.


companionable British  
/ kəmˈpænjənəbəl /

adjective

  1. suited to be a companion; sociable

"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


Etymology

Origin of companionable

1350–1400; Middle English. See companion 1, -able


Explanation

Someone who's companionable is close and friendly. A companionable dog stays right by your side, a loyal pal. It's fun to talk to a companionable person — they tend to be warm and good-natured. And our best relationships are the ones that are the most companionable: your grandparents might say the secret of a long, happy marriage is to make it a companionable one. A companionable silence is comfortable and relaxed. The word stems from the Old French compagnon, "fellow, mate, friend, or partner."

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Vocabulary lists containing companionable

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.

See Examples For:

“Shrink Solves Murder” rolls along in companionable fashion, mixing humor, danger and insight.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

We had Zoom sessions where everyone kept their camera on, but nobody talked, just wrote in companionable silence.

From Slate ● Apr. 12, 2026

It's punctuated by stretches of companionable silence, where Young drums on his knees, or interacts with his son Ben, who was born with severe cerebral palsy.

From BBC ● Apr. 13, 2025

Adam’s silence can seem sweetly companionable one moment and freighted with trauma the next.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 20, 2023

When he did, he marked his page, smiled a close-lipped, companionable smile.

From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini

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