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Synonyms

girlfriend

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

noun

girlfriends plural
  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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

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.

See Examples For:

Then his girlfriend told him about the frozen yogurt.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 19, 2026

Plus, the girlfriend of a biohacking star shares her own health journey, and Costco remains one of the last few examples of monoculture in the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 18, 2026

An emotional Athipat says he regrets bringing his girlfriend into the band.

From BBC Jul. 16, 2026

By December of 2023, Paul Preston realized that his girlfriend Susan Huckle was a big fan of road trips and lists.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 15, 2026

Molly held her girlfriend close to her chest.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

The phenomenon of artificial intelligence boyfriends and girlfriends is growing worldwide, along with the prevalence of human-like avatars that sell products or stand in for loved ones who have died.

From Barron's Jul. 15, 2026

“Love is always good, no matter where or from whom it comes from. I know that the older I get, the more I lean on my girlfriends and I demand that they lean on me.”

From Los Angeles Times May 8, 2026

In a 2012 interview, Piers Morgan asked Turner how he got away with having four girlfriends at once after the divorce.

From The Wall Street Journal May 6, 2026

Sunga says her event brings together families, older women that bake together, Gen Z girlfriends that have got out of the group chat, people in college or young women that are exploring creative activities.

From BBC Mar. 28, 2026

On Sundays the Jackboots came with their girlfriends to pinch their noses and take pictures and toss pieces of bread to us pigeons.

From "Milkweed" by Jerry Spinelli

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