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 of friendship

• 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

Today’s Venus-Jupiter sextile supports pleasure through friendship and a broader view of life. — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 4 Nov. 2026

The show is not only filled with trauma, but deep joy, especially in showing the friendship between Leo and George, Clive’s teenage son, who is grappling with his own secret about his sexuality. — Reshma Gopaldas, IndieWire, 4 Nov. 2026

Max Korman’s feature debut tells the story of the creation of Kahn’s final residential commission and his unlikely friendship with Steve Korman, painting a portrait of the architect and his legacy. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2026

Very quickly, the two men’s relationship grew beyond work into a friendship. — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2026

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