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
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Recent Examples of mates
Eric Stephens, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Another term for that self-organization is stigmergy (stigma = mark + ergon = work), which emphasizes how working entities leave signs in their environment that influence what their swarm-mates do next.
—New Atlas, 1 May 2026
Marine Mammal Center After a period of intensive care and quarantine, along with some abnormal behavior that was later resolved, the sea lion began eating well with pen mates in a rehabilitation pool, the center said.
—Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
Their name derives from their ability to form strong, monogamous bonds with their mates, with pairs often sitting close together.
—Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
Watch the video above to see the gentoo penguins picking out the perfect pebble for their mates!
—Kelsey Monstrola, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
The real twist here is a disadvantage because, in losing, Christian has to take an envelope back to camp and read its contents in front of his tribe mates.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2026
The former Joy Division and New Order bassist flatly ruled out any reunion with his ex-band mates, even for a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honor.
—Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Woodpeckers will also drum on your home and gutters to attract mates.
—Molly Burford, Southern Living, 22 Apr. 2026
Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2025
Noun
Chris Kreider was put back on the top line with Carlsson and Terry, and celebrated his 35th birthday by finishing a terrific rush with his younger mates.
—Eric Stephens, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Another term for that self-organization is stigmergy (stigma = mark + ergon = work), which emphasizes how working entities leave signs in their environment that influence what their swarm-mates do next.
—New Atlas, 1 May 2026
Marine Mammal Center After a period of intensive care and quarantine, along with some abnormal behavior that was later resolved, the sea lion began eating well with pen mates in a rehabilitation pool, the center said.
—Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
Their name derives from their ability to form strong, monogamous bonds with their mates, with pairs often sitting close together.
—Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
Watch the video above to see the gentoo penguins picking out the perfect pebble for their mates!
—Kelsey Monstrola, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
The real twist here is a disadvantage because, in losing, Christian has to take an envelope back to camp and read its contents in front of his tribe mates.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2026
The former Joy Division and New Order bassist flatly ruled out any reunion with his ex-band mates, even for a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honor.
—Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Woodpeckers will also drum on your home and gutters to attract mates.
—Molly Burford, Southern Living, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
The centre-forward is increasingly aware of these situations, positioning himself correctly or attacking the right space to offer his team-mates an option when City are attacking the wide areas.
—Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mates
Noun
-
The festival is broken into two halves, with an Intermission Party in between, featuring festive food, creative opportunities, and music, offering a chance to mingle with the artists and fellow guests amid the beauty of the farm.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
-
Bridges was benched for the majority of the second halves in Games 3 and 4.—
Matt Moret,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
The department released the files after the deadline passed and has faced criticism for removing or not releasing some documents and simultaneously failing to redact the names of numerous Epstein victims while redacting the names of some of Epstein’s friends and associates.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
The tools, built on data from past purchases, preferences and browsing behavior, will enable associates to provide more informed and engaging service tailored to individual customers.—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
But after Colorado scored three times on seven power-play opportunities while taking a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven playoff series with the Wild, Minnesota coach John Hynes and his assistants offered a notable amount of on-ice, penalty-kill instruction and advice on Friday.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
8 May 2026
-
And there are some funny moments along the way, such as a scene in which Miranda tries to hang up her coat, having been told to stop throwing it at her assistants.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Even in a household with two working partners, there is a disparity in the distribution of physical, cognitive and emotional labor, often referred to as invisible labor.—
Patricia Neligan,
AJC.com,
7 May 2026
-
In some cases, payments for long-term partners will be allowed, and is worth investigating to see whether certain documentation needs to be completed in advance, such as an expression of wish form.—
Marc Shoffman,
TheWeek,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Use our new checklist feature on each entry to keep track of your favorites and share with friends.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
At the time, Shehorn’s friends speculated that she had been stabbed more than 20 times.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
The seventh Kathy sleeps until one in the afternoon.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
4 May 2026
-
From this room, a couple of steps lead up to another small loft that sleeps one, though in this case Backcountry Tiny Homes has added a small sofa bed and storage.—
Adam Williams
April 23,
New Atlas,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Expect your companions to be intellectual spa obsessives who understand the breadth of founder Marina Efraimoglou’s vision, and sun-loving Europeans in need of a post-Covid reset.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 May 2026
-
Such interventions underline how, as AI companions appear increasingly lifelike to their human users, the challenge is ensuring that their makers also incorporate human clinical and ethical considerations in their code.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
The combination of the shutdown, colleagues’ retirements, and policy changes had left her depleted and often physically sick.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
-
Europe’s jet fuel supplies are even lower, according to analyst Yulia Zhestkova Grigsby and her colleagues.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mates. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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