friendly

[ frend-lee ]

/ ˈfrɛnd li /

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See synonyms for: friendly / friendlier / friendliness on Thesaurus.com

adjective, friend·li·er, friend·li·est.

characteristic of or befitting afriend; showing friendship: a friendly greeting.

like a friend; kind; helpful: a little friendly advice.

favorably disposed; inclined to approve, help, or support: a friendly bank.

not hostile or at variance; amicable: a friendly warship; friendly natives.

easy to use, operate, understand, etc. (usually used in combination): a consumer-friendly instruction manual;a friendly food processor.

able to coexist with something without harm or trouble (usually used in combination): environmentally friendly building materials;a child-friendly restaurant.

adverb

Also friend·li·ly . in a friendly manner; like a friend.

noun, plural friend·lies.

a person who is in sympathetic relationship to oneself or one's side; an ally or supporter.

OTHER WORDS FOR friendly

1 companionable, neighborly.

2 kindly, amiable, cordial, genial, affectionate, kindhearted.

3 benevolent, well-disposed, helpful, favorable; sympathetic, propitious.

See synonyms for friendly on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR friendly

3 antagonistic.

See antonyms for friendly on Thesaurus.com

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of friendly

before 900; Middle English frendly,Old English frēondlīc.See friend, -ly

OTHER WORDS FROM friendly

friend·li·ness, nounpre·friend·ly, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use friendly in a sentence

At once, Titanic's memory improved, and his attitude got friendlier.
Portrait of the Consummate Con Man|John Lardner|May 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Southern incumbents like Mark Pryor and Mary Landrieu have seen some friendlier poll numbers.
Here’s What Happens When the GOP Takes Over the Senate|Michael Tomasky|April 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But because they wanted something friendlier, they came up with the nomenclature of ‘screen name.’
We're All Still Secretly Using Our 1990s AOL Screen Names. Why?|Andrew Romano|January 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And McCauley was surely friendlier that his brusque air of command indicated.
The Strange and Mysterious Death of Mrs. Jerry Lee Lewis|Richard Ben Cramer|January 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Is an image on a cell phone—up-close and personal—always a friendlier face?
The Portrait Gallery Face-Off: Fresh, Famous, and Quirky Faces Win the Day|Chloë Ashby|November 17, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Mrs. Bassett had never seemed friendlier, and Sylvia was flattered by this mark of kindness.
A Hoosier Chronicle|Meredith Nicholson
I reckon nobody ever turned a friendlier face toward others than John has, and that's why everybody loves him so.
Dorothy|Evelyn Raymond
Where bends a softer sky above a friendlier channel by Nature moulded for nobler uses?
The Prince of India, Volume I|Lew. Wallace
And she waited, hoping he would think of friendlier words to speak, now that his resentment had been voiced.
Children of the Desert|Louis Dodge
The Tyrians, forgetful of their long-standing alliance with the house of David, behaved in no friendlier manner.
History of the Jews, Vol. I (of 6)|Heinrich Graetz

British Dictionary definitions for friendly (1 of 2)

friendly

/ (ˈfrɛndlɪ) /

adjective -lier or -liest

showing or expressing liking, goodwill, or trusta friendly smile

on the same side; not hostile

tending or disposed to help or support; favourablea friendly breeze helped them escape

noun plural -lies

Also called: friendly match sport a match played for its own sake, and not as part of a competition, etc

Derived forms of friendly

friendlily, adverbfriendliness, noun

British Dictionary definitions for friendly (2 of 2)

-friendly

adj combining form

helpful, easy, or good for the person or thing specifiedozone-friendly

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

friendly

OTHER WORDS FOR friendly

OPPOSITES FOR friendly

Origin of friendly

OTHER WORDS FROM friendly

Words related to friendly

How to use friendly in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for friendly (1 of 2)

Derived forms of friendly

British Dictionary definitions for friendly (2 of 2)