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
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"Encounter"
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Relationships
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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:
“And I was blessed with the gift of … developing a genuine, sincere friendship with Kyle that exists outside of the context of work.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, a French aviator and writer, explored love, loneliness and friendship through a fabulous tale for children that appealed to many adults as well.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
But Ricky Bobby’s return to glory was about more than the importance of humility and friendship.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
Parents who have watched their children cycle through different hobbies, whether it’s crafting friendship bracelets or concocting homemade slime, will recognize the single-minded fervor that has overtaken the students of Class 203.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
Between a family background that’s a bit of a blank and a best friend who’s always been the brightest star in the constellation of our friendship, I’m not sure I’ve ever really known.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
As talented figure skater Gennifer Harwood, Panettiere faithfully portrayed the evolution of friendships — especially for young women — in highly competitive sports and the tension between young athletes and their well-intended, but overbearing parents.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
"A lot of my friendships come from putting myself out there and just doing what I love, which I found was a bit hard at times, especially when you don't know anyone," says Grace, 19.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 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
Not even at the beginning when I would’ve loved two automatic friendships.
From "Thirteen Reasons Why" by Jay Asher
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.
