fraternize

American  

[frat-er-nahyz] / ˈfræt ərˌnaɪz /

especially British, fraternise

verb (used without object)

fraternized, fraternizing

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. to associate in a fraternal or friendly way.

   Synonyms:

   hobnob, consort, mix, mingle, socialize

---

verb (used with object)

fraternized, fraternizing

1. Archaic. to bring into fraternal association or sympathy.

fraternize British  

/ ˈfrætəˌnaɪz /

verb

1. to associate on friendly terms

---

Other Word Forms

• fraternization noun
• fraternizer noun
• unfraternized adjective
• unfraternizing adjective

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.

Example Sentences

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

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

Perhaps Parker had also been warned not to fraternize?

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2023

“Whereas James is actually quite personable, and I think goes out of his way to fraternize with everybody in the company.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 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