as in friends
a person who has a strong liking for and trust in another
college chums who go way back
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in associates
to come or be together as friends
they always chum around together
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of chums
David Faris, TheWeek, 16 Apr. 2026
Now, Byfield and chums are hitting their stride at the right moment.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
The other thing is this is not just a group of Khan’s chums.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
The passing of his striking mother at age 35 from breast cancer, a woman who attracted many of his elementary school chums to vie for a spot in her carpool, devastated a young Felder at the dawn of his teen years.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 30 Jan. 2026
The shot was redirected home by Marchment, ingratiating him with his new chums.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 21 Dec. 2025
The two got on famously, and have been chums ever since.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
In this entry, the third of the series, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his chums at a children’s finishing school for magicians called Hogwarts must work together to protect Harry from a killer named Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), who intends to kill the young wizard.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 16 Apr. 2026
Now, Byfield and chums are hitting their stride at the right moment.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
The other thing is this is not just a group of Khan’s chums.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
The passing of his striking mother at age 35 from breast cancer, a woman who attracted many of his elementary school chums to vie for a spot in her carpool, devastated a young Felder at the dawn of his teen years.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 30 Jan. 2026
The shot was redirected home by Marchment, ingratiating him with his new chums.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 21 Dec. 2025
The two got on famously, and have been chums ever since.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chums
Noun
-
Massachusetts-born, Robinson will be playing on home soil in front of friends, family and national team fanatics, an honor every player dreams of but only very few get.—
Jim Sciutto,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
-
But even these trails, like the ones Vernon carved out with friends near his home in Bella Vista, have had a positive effect.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
The third vessel, for example, contains circular discs symbolizing water, which Chan associates with rebirth.—
Anthony DeMarco,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
-
In practical terms, that means Forest now associates humans with food and safety, the opposite of what a wild deer needs to survive.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Read on to unpack those crucial final moments, including whether or not Coop and his best buddies got away with murder.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
-
After a short setup on Eternia, He-Man and his buddies escape the wrath of Skeletor by using the key to visit Earth.—
Jeffrey Ressner,
HollywoodReporter,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
The affordable passenger train travels between all five mountainous villages in Italy’s Cinque Terre region, running from spring until late fall.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 June 2026
-
The Strait of Hormuz, through which travels one-fifth of the world’s oil, remains closed.—
Matt Ott,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
The narrator and his wife find that their attachment to the charismatic and cryptic Chibi grows with the cat’s increasing visits, in a way that bewilders them but somehow bonds them closer together.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
-
The Pennsylvania native made her TV acting debut on the HBO hit as Faye, the adrift addict who bonds with Fezco (the late Angus Cloud) and later Rue (Zendaya), after previously establishing herself in adult films, with creator Sam Levinson casting her directly.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Seattle joins a growing list of cities and counties that are seeking to place limits on the explosive growth of AI data centers.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
-
Kyle joins the conversation, too.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
The 48-team tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19, will include three-minute hydration breaks for players in each half of every game.—
Elmira Aliieva,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
-
The 2026 French Open runs from May 17 through June 7 at the Stade Roland-Garros complex in Paris, with semifinals and finals scheduled to be played at the iconic Philippe-Chatrier court.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chums.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chums. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
