1
as in halves
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 associates
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 assistants
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 partners
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 friends
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
as in sleeps
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 mates
Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
To have Jones trailing in a poll that looks relatively good for his ticket mates, though, should trouble his campaign.
—Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
According to researcher and photographer Roberto García-Roa, the vibrant pigments that butterflies once relied on to attract mates and hide from prey are now fading away as colorful tropical forests are replaced with monochrome infrastructure.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
With fall hunting seasons underway and deer starting to look for mates, Michigan's police officers are finding themselves being called out to deal with deer in unusual circumstances.
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 14 Oct. 2025
However, the time some birds took reacting to the sudden darkness could have been spent foraging for food, searching for mates or defending their territory, Aguilar said.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2025
The Giants are faring somewhat better than their stadium mates, but with a combined record of 1-9, New York isn’t putting its best foot forward in 2025.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 10 Oct. 2025
As fighting began, the three eldest Schuylers—now marriageable young ladies—attended dancing assemblies, on the lookout for mates.
—Jane Kamensky, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
Team-mates who had started the match were entitled to a greater share of the blame.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
To have Jones trailing in a poll that looks relatively good for his ticket mates, though, should trouble his campaign.
—Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
According to researcher and photographer Roberto García-Roa, the vibrant pigments that butterflies once relied on to attract mates and hide from prey are now fading away as colorful tropical forests are replaced with monochrome infrastructure.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
With fall hunting seasons underway and deer starting to look for mates, Michigan's police officers are finding themselves being called out to deal with deer in unusual circumstances.
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 14 Oct. 2025
However, the time some birds took reacting to the sudden darkness could have been spent foraging for food, searching for mates or defending their territory, Aguilar said.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2025
The Giants are faring somewhat better than their stadium mates, but with a combined record of 1-9, New York isn’t putting its best foot forward in 2025.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 10 Oct. 2025
As fighting began, the three eldest Schuylers—now marriageable young ladies—attended dancing assemblies, on the lookout for mates.
—Jane Kamensky, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mates
Noun
-
Next, prepare the pesto-mayo spread by combining Trader Joe’s pesto with Kewpie mayo, then spreading it evenly on both halves of the focaccia to provide a rich, flavorful foundation for the layers to come.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Oct. 2025
-
October 27, 2025 Rachel Zegler has had a year of two halves.—
Helen Mirren,
Glamour,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Palantir Founded in 2003 by Peter Thiel and several associates, the data analytics firm provides services for several government agencies, including Department of Homeland Security, the Internal Revenue Service and the Army.—
Melanie Hicken,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
-
The crime family members and associates allegedly received a portion of the winnings in exchange for their participation, the indictment said.—
Dan Gallo,
NBC news,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
That's the percentage of time AI assistants misrepresent news content, according to an international study coordinated by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the BBC.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
23 Oct. 2025
-
David Ryder | Bloomberg | Getty Images Coding assistants have been some of the early winners of the generative AI rush, becoming the first real application type to attract a hefty number of paying users.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The festival's institutional partners are Brown-Forman, the Owsley Brown II Family Foundation and the Owsley Brown II Philanthropic Foundation.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Many of the moments are based on stories told to me by my nurse friends, or my men friends and family who were hospitalized and remember some of what happened to them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Following the news of the internet star’s death, several of his friends shared tributes on social media.—
Luke Chinman,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
There’s plenty of room for your entire crew, as the condo comfortably sleeps 10 guests.—
Gabriela Ulloa,
Architectural Digest,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The cottage sleeps six and has two bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms.—
Amy Panos,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
These companions help the Commander out during their quest, but sometimes, a situation may change depending on which companions are currently active.—
Jason Fanelli,
Rolling Stone,
23 Oct. 2025
-
But while many edibles and ornamentals make good companions for apples and other fruit trees, some plants just don't belong in your backyard orchard.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Jourdan’s colleagues tracked down and reconstructed the exact make and model of radio used by Earhart and the Itasca vessel, which was waiting for the pilot off the shores of Howland Island.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
28 Oct. 2025
-
In a letter to Variety staff, Sobrino-Stearns expressed gratitude to her colleagues past and present.—
William Earl,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mates. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share