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Synonyms

girlfriend

American  
[gurl-frend] / ˈgɜrlˌfrɛnd /
Or girl friend

noun

  1. a frequent or favorite female companion; sweetheart.

  2. a female friend.


girlfriend British  
/ ˈɡɜːlˌfrɛnd /

noun

  1. a female friend with whom a man or boy is romantically or sexually involved; sweetheart

  2. any female friend

"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

Etymology

Origin of girlfriend

First recorded in 1855–60; girl + friend

Compare meaning

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Vocabulary lists containing girlfriend

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.

It was a petty beef arising from disrespectful comments made to someone’s girlfriend, but Tylon Hardy responded anyway.

From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026

“And as his girlfriend, she’s always been supportive of him. So even in costume, it was like she was literally holding space for his story. It felt authentic, not just comedic.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026

Sitting in the front row was his girlfriend Paula Hurd, one of his sisters and Larry Cohen, the longtime CEO of Gates Ventures and his right-hand man.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026

Phillips, who was Talley’s predecessor as Collins’ chief of staff, is currently under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over allegations that he hired his girlfriend for a no-show job and otherwise misused official funds.

From Slate • May 28, 2026

He wished he could ask Mr. Mosley to tell him stories—about his first girlfriend, and his first kiss, and did he have any advice?

From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly

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