fraternize
Americanverb (used without object)
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fraternizes,
present (3rd person singular)
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fraternized,
past participle, past
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fraternizing
present participle
-
to associate socially or romantically with people considered inappropriate company, often due to a difference in status, as between managers and subordinates, or professors and students.
Doctors fraternizing with interns is nothing new, but hospital management is considering stricter policies to discourage it.
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to associate cordially or intimately with the people of a conquered country, enemy troops, etc., especially in violation of orders or rules.
Of the charges these officers are facing, the most serious is fraternizing with the enemy.
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to associate in a fraternal or friendly way.
verb (used with object)
-
fraternizes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
fraternized,
past participle, past
-
fraternizing
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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fraternizesimple
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fraternizessimple
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have fraternizedperfect
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has fraternizedperfect
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am fraternizingprogressive
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are fraternizingprogressive
-
is fraternizingprogressive
-
have been fraternizingperfect progressive
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has been fraternizingperfect progressive
Past
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fraternizedsimple
-
had fraternizedperfect
-
was fraternizingprogressive
-
were fraternizingprogressive
-
had been fraternizingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of fraternize
First recorded in 1605–15; from French fraterniser, from Medieval Latin frāternizāre; see fraternal, -ize
Explanation
Guys, you may not realize it, but when you hang out with your buds, you fraternize; that is, you associate in a friendly fashion with other men as though they were your brothers. As your wives or girlfriends would be quick to tell you, there's an undercurrent of misbehavior to the term fraternize. At its most harmless, it means a kind of wild frat house behavior (frat or fraternity also coming from the Latin term fraternus, meaning "brotherly."). At its worst, there's an implication of illegality or skullduggery, as in the common phrase "fraternizing with the enemy." So party on, but don't be a traitor.
Vocabulary lists containing fraternize
The Handmaid's Tale
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And Then There Were None
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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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.
See Examples For:
Behind the scenes, Chung, who often goes by “E.S.” in the West, also is known to fraternize comfortably with Hyundai staff, the company’s auto dealers and others.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2025
Red-brick buildings from the 19th century fraternize with high glass facades and renovated interiors: a new sports complex, a new “well-being” center.
From New York Times ● Jan. 22, 2024
Superheroes-in-training are enrolled at Godolkin University School of Crimefighting, where they fraternize in between high-stakes competitions of strength and ability.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 14, 2023
Though at one time it would have been unheard of to stoop below her blue-blooded heritage and fraternize with showbiz professionals, Lady Mary knows that Downton is an expensive estate to run.
From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2022
Because the all-day task of pushing buttons was boring, I was tempted to chitchat, but Miss Buckner’s warning not to fraternize with the patrons stayed fresh in my mind.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
A multimillionaire entrepreneur fraternizes with a fish-tailed woman during a video shoot for an indie band.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 19, 2017
After the show, the orchestra usually breaks up into parties for a final drink, or sometimes fraternizes with the last call and makes a bunch for supper at Sam Isaacs'.
From Nights in London by Thomas Burke
Wealth always fraternizes with wealth to a certain extent.
From The International Monthly, Volume 4, No. 1, August, 1851 by Various
See, even Duke fraternizes with the charming beasts!
From The Voyages and Adventures of Captain Hatteras by Edouard Riou
Even Chateaubriand praises the Republic, calls himself a Republican from inclination, fraternizes with Marrast, and receives the accolade from Béranger.
From The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Volume 06 Masterpieces of German Literature Translated into English. in Twenty Volumes by Kuno Francke
The Gelmans fraternized with Mexico’s bohemian avant-garde and hosted soirees at opulent residences in Mexico and New York.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
Commerce always fraternized with art and journalism in the magazine business, and Miranda needs to hear that this balance will stay if the magazine changes hands.
From Salon ● May 6, 2026
The former detective was fired in 2017 after an allegation was received that he had improperly paid a witness and had fraternized with people connected to criminal conduct.
From Washington Times ● Feb. 19, 2019
Xaysana’s case drew great attention when he was arrested last year because of unproven suspicions that some Thai celebrities with whom he fraternized were implicated in his activities.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 26, 2018
We fraternized because—well, chiefly because we couldn't help it.
From The High Heart by Basil King
Plebes, prohibited from fraternizing with girls, celebrated spring commencement by marching across the walkways and climbing Herndon.
From Slate ● Jun. 24, 2026
Most companies discourage executives from fraternizing with staff too intimately because of the messy conflicts it can create.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 14, 2022
But there is also plenty of time for fraternizing.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 28, 2022
With that, Haitiwaji — a mother in her 50s — is accused of fraternizing with terrorists and sent to a re-education camp.
From New York Times ● Feb. 22, 2022
He had rather guessed the Laphams would side with the Tories, but this was fraternizing with the troops at a great rate.
From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
