best friend

noun

plural best friends
1
: a person's closest and dearest friend
She's my best friend.
We have been best friends since high school.
2
: a person's most desirable or valuable possession or resource
Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but gold is more affordable.William Giese
Lycra-cotton leggings and tunic tops are the pregnant woman's best friend, sartorially speaking.Anne Reeks
When cops bang on the door, the toilet is a drug dealer's best friend.Frederick Kaufman

Examples of best friend in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Pogosian met one of his most important muses, a member of the Saudi royal family and his best friend's mother, at Rihanna's Halloween party. Stephan Rabimov, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Beyond keeping space safe, man’s best friend will be at the forefront of future moon research. Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 9 Aug. 2026 My mentor growing up was LaTroy Hawkins, my godfather and one of my dad’s teammates and best friends. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 8 Aug. 2026 Another video that has drawn GOP criticism has little to do with political opinion, but instead with man’s best friend. Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for best friend

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of best friend was in the 13th century

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Cite this Entry

“Best friend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/best%20friend. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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