friendship
Americannoun
-
friendships
plural
-
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
Vocabulary lists containing friendship
Beowulf vocabulary
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Encounter"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Relationships
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
The book’s throughline is her friendship with Bill, an academic loner whose meticulous work in the field caught her attention.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
In the words of Arbeloa, their friendship "will never change".
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
Lane and Shook developed a friendship in 2011, Shook said, with Lane providing professional guidance to Shook over the years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Scott originally intended only to produce this one, a film built around a female friendship that hardly seemed an obvious fit for him as a director.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
It’s also possible that their friendship developed while they both fought for the liberation of the Philippines.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
They had more success in the less-restricted Georgian and Armenian capitals, Tbilisi and Yerevan, contacting refuseniks in both cities and developing joyful friendships.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Join us on a time-travel adventure to the ’90s: If you’ve recently been paralyzed by choice or felt overconnected but underinvested in your friendships, Slate has an antidote for you.
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026
Yet as “Avery, Gottlieb & Rothko: By the Sea” at the Cape Ann Museum reveals, their friendships, their summers and their mutual admiration critically influenced their artistic paths.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
It’s been her gateway to new friendships, a walking group, brunches and even a regular happy hour.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
No one seems to question the urge of these women to form intense friendships, though, or to explore more deeply what those friendships might mean.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
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.
