as in joined
to become a friend to (someone)
He befriended the new student.
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Recent Examples of befriended
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
There, the University of Texas graduate first met and befriended Nicholas Hope Wilkinson, who cast her in one of his plays.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Hsu had befriended the theatre’s in-house carpenter, Dan Hoffman, who has worked there for twenty-three years.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
According to her complaint, Cosby befriended her and invited her to the show.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 23 Mar. 2026
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
There, the University of Texas graduate first met and befriended Nicholas Hope Wilkinson, who cast her in one of his plays.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Hsu had befriended the theatre’s in-house carpenter, Dan Hoffman, who has worked there for twenty-three years.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
According to her complaint, Cosby befriended her and invited her to the show.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 23 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befriended
Verb
-
In 1963, Jim Whittaker, joined by Sherpa mountaineer Nawang Gombu, became the first American to summit Mount Everest.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
-
They will be joined by four at-large teams per region — based on FHSAA rankings.—
Buddy Collings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Shortly before the shooting, Vice President JD Vance's motorcade traveled through the area of the incident.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
5 May 2026
-
Like Turner, Church also travelled far beyond the shores of his homeland.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Befriended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befriended. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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