as in to friend
to become a friend to (someone)
He befriended the new student.
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Recent Examples of befriend
Come for drinks at the bar repeatedly and befriend the staff.
—
Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 May 2026
There, he’s found and befriended by a young girl whose future world includes robots that do most of the parenting and near-constant climate disaster.
—ABC News, 15 May 2026
In the ensuing panic, Jesus (Bilal Hasna) wanders off down to Earth and is befriended by a former street hustler named Harry the Fish (Mark Addy).
—ArsTechnica, 15 May 2026
Nelson said a person who had befriended Damas while they were both detained called him to tell him Damas was not doing well and that he had been taken to the hospital.
—Suzanne Gamboa, NBC news, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for befriend
Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 May 2026
There, he’s found and befriended by a young girl whose future world includes robots that do most of the parenting and near-constant climate disaster.
—ABC News, 15 May 2026
In the ensuing panic, Jesus (Bilal Hasna) wanders off down to Earth and is befriended by a former street hustler named Harry the Fish (Mark Addy).
—ArsTechnica, 15 May 2026
Nelson said a person who had befriended Damas while they were both detained called him to tell him Damas was not doing well and that he had been taken to the hospital.
—Suzanne Gamboa, NBC news, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for befriend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befriend
Verb
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But this time Williams’ violence took the life of a boy who friends and family described as compassionate, shy, and kind.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Apr. 2026
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Jamison Mobley, her 18-year-old brother Jackson, friends Jaylyn Fehr, 17, and Charlotte Martin, 16, were traveling to St. George Island in Florida to visit family and friends on April 6, according to the Franklin County Sheriff's Office.—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Hezbollah soon joined the fight, launching attacks on Israel.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
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Müller joins their ranks with these affectionate images.—
James Quandt,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Befriend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befriend. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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