bedfellow

noun

bed·​fel·​low ˈbed-ˌfe-(ˌ)lō 

1

: one who shares a bed with another

2

: a person or thing closely associated with another : ally

political bedfellows

—often used in the phrase strange bedfellows to describe an unlikely alliance of people or things

Politics indeed makes strange bedfellows and on the issue of local regulation of pesticides, environmental and states' rights advocates have joined forces.

—Elena S. Rutrick

Polities and good architecture are strange bedfellows, but in Barcelona the marriage has worked.

—Cathleen McGuigan

Synonyms

• abettor
• abetter
• ally
• backer
• confederate
• fellow traveler
• supporter
• sympathizer

Examples of bedfellow in a Sentence

a child-welfare cause that has made bedfellows of activists who are normally on opposite ends of the political spectrum

Recent Examples on the Web

At first blush, motor oil and golf equipment may seem like strange bedfellows. —Mike Dojc, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025

Despite protests that made odd bedfellows of Murphy, a Democrat, and Trump, congestion pricing remains in effect and appears to be working, at least for New Yorkers. —Emilie Ikeda, NBC news, 17 May 2025

The bill had both bipartisan support and opposition, and the debate made for strange bedfellows: Some gun-control advocates joined with the county sheriff’s lobbying group to support it, while a prominent gun-rights group and criminal defense attorneys opposed it. —Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 20 May 2025

Strange political bedfellows lined up for and against Mayor Freddie O'Connell's $3.1 billion transportation funding plan in recent days. —Nate Rau, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for bedfellow

• marshmallow
• morello
• othello
• schoolfellow
• cello
• fellow
• jello
• mellow
• melo
• velo
• portobello
• violoncello

Kids Definition

bedfellow

noun

bed·​fel·​low ˈbed-ˌfel-ō 

: one who shares a bed with another