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 track is accompanied by a summery music video shot in Ibiza, Puerto Rico and Miami, which captures a fun atmosphere of friendship and camaraderie. —Tere Aguilera, Billboard, 26 Sep. 2025

But turning that initial coffee or yoga class hang into an unforced, lasting friendship? —Jenna Ryu, SELF, 26 Sep. 2025

Sarah and Erin Foster want to explore relationships more, whereas Benito Skinner would like to see more stories about friendships. —Giana Levy, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025

The Social Network charted Facebook's origins at Harvard, highlighting the fractured friendship between co-founders Zuckerberg (Eisenberg) and Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield). —Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 26 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