mate 1 of 2

noun

Definition of matenext
1
as in half
either of a pair matched in one or more qualities have you seen the mate to this glove anywhere?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in associate
a person frequently seen in the company of another that lout and his mates are known troublemakers in the neighborhood

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in assistant
chiefly British a person who helps a more skilled person a plumber and his mate showed up to fix the sink in our London hotel room

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in partner
the person to whom another is married they vowed to each other that they would remain mates for life

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in friend
chiefly British a person who has a strong liking for and trust in another spent the weekend in London with some of his mates from Oxford

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

mate

2 of 2

verb

as in to sleep
to engage in sexual intercourse cats conceive almost every time they mate

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 mate
Noun
After the final whistle, Ounahi was thrown into the air by his team-mates, the sort of treatment usually reserved for a coach after winning a title. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 4 July 2026 Bajraktarevic and his mates aim to break some hearts at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium this week. — Sean Gregory, Time, 30 June 2026
Verb
By the time Marlin and Nemo are, at long last, reunited, the change would be complete, and, in the absence of a larger male, Nemo would mate with his now-female father. — Elizabeth Kolbert, New Yorker, 22 June 2026 Charles Darwin also proposed that intersexual selection involved females evaluating and choosing males with whom to mate based on specific traits, such as a colorful peacock plumage. — Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for mate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mate
  1. half
  2. associate
  3. assistant
  4. partner
  5. friend
  6. sleep
  7. match
  8. buddy
Noun
  • As this July Fourth approached, FOUND on the Guadalupe River still had about 1,800 items awaiting reunification, about half of them photographs.
    — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • It is recommended that any batteries in devices that will be stored for significant periods should undergo a maintenance routine to maintain their health by charging them to half capacity every six months.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of half
Noun
  • And in a separate ongoing civil case, the city has issued nearly two dozen subpoenas seeking a broad array of GPS and social media data on Hubbard and his associates, according to his attorney Bryan Pease.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • In hospitality, that means making associates more productive, owners more effective and guests more satisfied.
    — Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of associate
Noun
  • Bollo, the son of a domestic worker and a line cook, said he’s applied to work as a teaching assistant and graduate researcher, which would waive the cost of his tuition.
    — Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • How — and to what extent — AI might reshape her profession remains to be seen, but jobs for administrative assistants and secretaries have been dwindling for decades.
    — Claire Savage, Fortune, 5 July 2026
Definition of assistant
Noun
  • Through a series of acrylic paintings, Gardner explores intimate connections between parents and children, partners and siblings, inviting viewers to identify themselves within his signature faceless figures.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • The event drew people like Carmichael resident Melanie Groth and her partner.
    — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 7 July 2026
Definition of partner
Noun
  • Long ago, a train-riding and hitchhiking tour of several European countries took me to Belgium, where I was graciously taken in by the family of an American friend of mine.
    — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026
  • Perfect for running errands, getting lunch with friends, and long-haul flights, these pants are your new summer wardrobe staple.
    — Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2026
Definition of friend
Verb
  • Certain antidepressants may also be prescribed to help manage cataplexy, sleep paralysis and hallucinations.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 8 July 2026
  • The findings reinforce the fact that even something that seems as harmless as sleeping for six hours a night instead of seven—roughly what the participants in this study did—has negative effects on the body.
    — Veronique Greenwood, Time, 8 July 2026
Definition of sleep
Noun
  • Captain Tim Ream entered the media area after the defeat, a shell of a man who had spent the previous days proudly leading the team throughout this tournament, playing in four US matches at this World Cup.
    — David Close, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
  • The red card also carried with it a ban from the team’s next game — in this case, the Belgium match — but FIFA suspended that penalty and imposed a one-year probation instead.
    — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of match
Noun
  • Like its 2023 predecessor, Evil Dead Burn starts with the brisk dispatch of secondary characters at a pretty lakeside spot — the film was shot in New Zealand — where buddies Jared (Keanu Karim) and Leo (Tapiwa Soropa) are fishing.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
  • The return of White keys the Hornets’ roster shift, triggered with the departure of Ball and his alley-oop buddy Miles Bridges.
    — Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 7 July 2026
Definition of buddy

Phrases Containing mate

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matchups
mate
mated
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Cite this Entry

“Mate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mate. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on mate

Nglish: Translation of mate for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mate

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