as in joins
to become a friend to (someone)
He befriended the new student.
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Recent Examples of befriends
Barry Keoghan stars as Oliver, an outcast Oxford student who befriends uber-rich classmate Felix (Jacob Elordi).
—
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 6 June 2026
The musical is also narrated by Damian and Janis, the school outcasts who Cady befriends on her first day.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2026
Renna, 47, starred as Ham Porter in the coming-of-age film, which centers on a boy named Scotty Smalls (Tom Guiry), who befriends a group of boys playing baseball at his new neighborhood's sandlot during the summer of 1962.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026
In 2017, Gleeson played Knuckles McGinty, an inmate and prison chef who befriends the titular bear in Paddington 2.
—Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
At her grandparents’ remote ski resort hotel in the Andes, the girl befriends German skier Hanna, 15.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2026
This modest comedy about a Parisian music teacher and photography buff (Isabelle Huppert) who befriends a Korean film-sales assistant (Kim Min-hee) at Cannes was shot in public spaces around the 2016 festival, timed to coincide with Huppert and Min-hee’s real-life appearances there for other films.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Odessa A’zion voices Nikki Baxter, a new kid who befriends our core group of Hawkins kids.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
His son goes to Hogwarts and befriends Draco Malfoy’s son in a new journey that includes magic, a massive battle and many special effects.
—Charlotte Observer, 21 Apr. 2026
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 6 June 2026
The musical is also narrated by Damian and Janis, the school outcasts who Cady befriends on her first day.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2026
Renna, 47, starred as Ham Porter in the coming-of-age film, which centers on a boy named Scotty Smalls (Tom Guiry), who befriends a group of boys playing baseball at his new neighborhood's sandlot during the summer of 1962.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026
In 2017, Gleeson played Knuckles McGinty, an inmate and prison chef who befriends the titular bear in Paddington 2.
—Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
At her grandparents’ remote ski resort hotel in the Andes, the girl befriends German skier Hanna, 15.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2026
This modest comedy about a Parisian music teacher and photography buff (Isabelle Huppert) who befriends a Korean film-sales assistant (Kim Min-hee) at Cannes was shot in public spaces around the 2016 festival, timed to coincide with Huppert and Min-hee’s real-life appearances there for other films.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Odessa A’zion voices Nikki Baxter, a new kid who befriends our core group of Hawkins kids.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
His son goes to Hogwarts and befriends Draco Malfoy’s son in a new journey that includes magic, a massive battle and many special effects.
—Charlotte Observer, 21 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befriends
joins
Verb
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Cabrera is a veteran of both the MPWW and the Minnesota carceral system, and joins Lost Kite as a multimedia editor.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
Kamla Pande joins as senior director of talent in the beauty, lifestyle and fashion division, and Toni Rose Goulden joins as director of talent in the entertainment division.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Befriends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befriends. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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