as in joins
to become a friend to (someone)
He befriended the new student.
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Recent Examples of befriends
The original 1997 film follows Buddy, a runaway circus dog who befriends a boy named Josh and helps lead his school’s basketball team to a championship.
—
Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026
In some respects, Project Hail Mary — about an astronaut (Ryan Gosling) who befriends an alien in an effort to save both their planets from a solar catastrophe — is a rather traditional, feel-good hero’s tale.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 23 Mar. 2026
Grace befriends multiple other scientists working on the ship with him, and their relationships are unpacked and explored.
—Matthew Razak, Space.com, 23 Mar. 2026
As the Creature befriends a blind man (David Bradley), who has shared his love of books, Elordi's character explores his sense of self, and his sense of purpose, and seeks answers – in literature, and in his own fragmented memories.
—David Morgan, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026
Mabel befriends many of the animals that fled the glade and eventually inspires them to rise up against Jon Hamm’s Mayor Jerry, who wants to build a highway through the forest.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 9 Mar. 2026
Mabel befriends dam-building King George (Bobby Moynihan), runs afoul of an insect queen (Meryl Streep) and meets a ton of critters, from an emoji-loving lizard to a professional killer-for-hire shark.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026
Divorced housepainter Eddie befriends Russell, his 8-year-old next-door neighbor; Russell’s mother has her hands full taking care of her aging mother and Russell’s troubled older brother.
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
In season 2, Calam Lynch played Theo Sharpe, a printer's assistant who befriends Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) while trying to uncover Lady Whistledown's true identity.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Feb. 2026
Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026
In some respects, Project Hail Mary — about an astronaut (Ryan Gosling) who befriends an alien in an effort to save both their planets from a solar catastrophe — is a rather traditional, feel-good hero’s tale.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 23 Mar. 2026
Grace befriends multiple other scientists working on the ship with him, and their relationships are unpacked and explored.
—Matthew Razak, Space.com, 23 Mar. 2026
As the Creature befriends a blind man (David Bradley), who has shared his love of books, Elordi's character explores his sense of self, and his sense of purpose, and seeks answers – in literature, and in his own fragmented memories.
—David Morgan, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026
Mabel befriends many of the animals that fled the glade and eventually inspires them to rise up against Jon Hamm’s Mayor Jerry, who wants to build a highway through the forest.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 9 Mar. 2026
Mabel befriends dam-building King George (Bobby Moynihan), runs afoul of an insect queen (Meryl Streep) and meets a ton of critters, from an emoji-loving lizard to a professional killer-for-hire shark.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026
Divorced housepainter Eddie befriends Russell, his 8-year-old next-door neighbor; Russell’s mother has her hands full taking care of her aging mother and Russell’s troubled older brother.
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
In season 2, Calam Lynch played Theo Sharpe, a printer's assistant who befriends Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) while trying to uncover Lady Whistledown's true identity.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befriends
joins
Verb
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The Vermont native who was raised in Massachusetts joins performers Aaron Tveit and Nicholas Christopher who launched the Broadway revival with Michele.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2026
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As calls for a wealth tax grow louder, USA TODAY Personal Finance Reporter Daniel de Visé joins The Excerpt to break down what taxing the super‑rich could mean for the economy and for everyday Americans.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Befriends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befriends. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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