friendship

noun

friend·​ship ˈfren(d)-ˌship 

1

: the state of being friends

they have a long-standing friendship

2

: the quality or state of being friendly : friendliness

the friendship shown him by his coworkers

3

obsolete : aid

Synonyms

• generosity
• brotherhood
• amity
• cordiality
• goodwill
• friendliness
• neighborliness
• kindness
• good-fellowship
• benevolence
• fellowship
• kindliness
• community
• companionship

Examples of friendship in a Sentence

a friendship between two countries

They have enjoyed many years of friendship.

He was encouraged by the friendship his coworkers showed him.

Recent Examples on the Web

The evening doubles as a salute to the 25th anniversary of Girlfriends, the groundbreaking sitcom that redefined how Black women’s friendships, ambitions, and complexities were portrayed on screen. —Okla Jones, Essence, 13 Sep. 2025

Howard, a queen bee with a racy reputation, became a scene-stealer with her emotional outbursts and volatile friendship with Maddy (Alexa Demie). —Edward Segarra, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025

That’s going to wear thin quickly because the friendship becomes unbalanced and remains so. —R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025

Seoul, South Korea — More than 300 South Korean workers detained by immigration authorities in Georgia last week arrived home on Friday, marking the end of a saga that has stunned their nation and threatened to upend a close bilateral friendship between the US and South Korea. —Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see friend entry 1

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing friendship

• betray someone's friendship

Kids Definition

friendship

noun

friend·​ship ˈfren(d)-ˌship 

: the state of being friends