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befriend

verb

be·​friend bi-ˈfrend How to pronounce befriend (audio)
befriended; befriending; befriends

transitive verb

: to become or act as a friend to
befriended the new student

Examples of befriend in a Sentence

He befriended the new student.
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.
Set in 2007 Gaza, the drama follows Yahya, a young student who befriends Osama, a charismatic falafel shop owner. Essie Assibu, Variety, 22 Nov. 2025 In one of the strangest political stories in years, the Grammy-winning rapper befriended Malaysian financier Jho Low in 2006. Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 21 Nov. 2025 Then befriends a pigeon that may or may not be the one that’s always cooing outside the bathroom window. Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 19 Nov. 2025 Set New Zealand’s Kāpiti Coast in 1985, A Beautiful Family and narrated by ten-year-old Alix, who befriends 12-year-old Māori boy Kahu and embarks on a search for a girl presumed drowned two years earlier. Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 19 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for befriend

Word History

First Known Use

1559, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of befriend was in 1559

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Cite this Entry

“Befriend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/befriend. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

befriend

verb
be·​friend bi-ˈfrend How to pronounce befriend (audio)
: to become or act as a friend to

More from Merriam-Webster on befriend

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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