as in joined
to become a friend to (someone)
He befriended the new student.
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Recent Examples of befriended
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
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
There was evidence that the two men, who’d befriended Brettler weeks earlier, had assaulted him shortly before his death – though neither was charged by police, who concluded that the death was probably suicide.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 30 Apr. 2026
Scott befriended Serafini's wife in 2016 Five years before the 2021 shooting, Scott met Serafini's wife, Erin Spohr, through her horseback riding business, The Sacramento Beereported.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026
In the 2008 storyline, Peanut (Jarryd Joseph) is part of the family, having been befriended by Cricket Foster (Roderick Randle) when both were in elementary school.
—Amy Reyes, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
Hunt was previously in a relationship with Cody Keith, an ex-quarterback for East Carolina University who got a shot in multiple NFL training camps before seeing some interest in the Canadian Football League who had once befriended Patrick Mahomes.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
Nurses who had befriended the musician and his wife were sending videos to Cimorelli where Gilbert was waving with his left hand.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2026
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
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
There was evidence that the two men, who’d befriended Brettler weeks earlier, had assaulted him shortly before his death – though neither was charged by police, who concluded that the death was probably suicide.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 30 Apr. 2026
Scott befriended Serafini's wife in 2016 Five years before the 2021 shooting, Scott met Serafini's wife, Erin Spohr, through her horseback riding business, The Sacramento Beereported.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026
In the 2008 storyline, Peanut (Jarryd Joseph) is part of the family, having been befriended by Cricket Foster (Roderick Randle) when both were in elementary school.
—Amy Reyes, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
Hunt was previously in a relationship with Cody Keith, an ex-quarterback for East Carolina University who got a shot in multiple NFL training camps before seeing some interest in the Canadian Football League who had once befriended Patrick Mahomes.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
Nurses who had befriended the musician and his wife were sending videos to Cimorelli where Gilbert was waving with his left hand.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befriended
Verb
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Washington — The House approved an effort on Thursday to send fresh assistance to Ukraine after a few Republican members joined with Democrats to force a vote on the issue.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
5 June 2026
-
In 2008, the fourth generation joined when Robert’s son, Bobby, entered the family business.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Beachfront guesthouses for friends and family are now part of the resort’s main room blocks, all named after cities around the globe where the owner and his wife had traveled.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
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Curry has traveled to China seven times with the most recent tour to Chongqing last August, and each visit has drawn massive, frenzied crowds.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Befriended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befriended. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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