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
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Recent Examples of mates
Stuart James, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Hunnicutt believes that the wolf dispersed from the pack, as this is typically the time of year when wolves go off to look for mates.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
Potter and seven of his, well, best mates are here at the Mad Dog to watch their hometown team lose to Leeds.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
His latest post is of him and his two dorm mates, Benji and Max.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
The reasons why have remained unclear, although there are plenty of theories related to attracting mates, warding off opponents, and even improving reproductive success.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 22 Jan. 2026
This also included fellow cast mates Serena Page, Kordell Beckham, Leah Kateb, Miguel Harichi, Liv Walker and Kaylor Martin.
—Dahvi Shira, Forbes.com, 19 Jan. 2026
The filing was also accompanied by letters of support for Busfield written by his wife Melissa Gilbert as well as his Thirtysomething cast mates Peter Horton and Ken Olin.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 17 Jan. 2026
The crossings are designed to reconnect the lands on either side of the valley, allowing animals to migrate safely in search of food, shelter and mates.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2026
Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2025
Noun
Bernardo Silva knew that and so did his Manchester City team-mates.
—Stuart James, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Hunnicutt believes that the wolf dispersed from the pack, as this is typically the time of year when wolves go off to look for mates.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
Potter and seven of his, well, best mates are here at the Mad Dog to watch their hometown team lose to Leeds.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
His latest post is of him and his two dorm mates, Benji and Max.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
The reasons why have remained unclear, although there are plenty of theories related to attracting mates, warding off opponents, and even improving reproductive success.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 22 Jan. 2026
This also included fellow cast mates Serena Page, Kordell Beckham, Leah Kateb, Miguel Harichi, Liv Walker and Kaylor Martin.
—Dahvi Shira, Forbes.com, 19 Jan. 2026
The filing was also accompanied by letters of support for Busfield written by his wife Melissa Gilbert as well as his Thirtysomething cast mates Peter Horton and Ken Olin.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 17 Jan. 2026
The crossings are designed to reconnect the lands on either side of the valley, allowing animals to migrate safely in search of food, shelter and mates.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 16 Jan. 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
-
In both halves, the Jayhawks started slow.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
7 Feb. 2026
-
This one was a tale of two halves, the first belonging to the hosts, the second to the visitors.—
Martin Henderson,
Oc Register,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Axel contended during her closing statement that Puig did not lie about his interactions with Nix and his associates, which occurred two years before the interview with investigators.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Request sought connection with Epstein The lengthy request was for practically all records related to Epstein and his criminal activities, including those that identify associates or recruiters of girls in Ohio and Kentucky.—
David Ferrara,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Also present were Carrick’s assistants, plus all the leading executives who are based at Old Trafford, as well as the mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The assistants do the type of work that AI is getting better at.—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But at the same time, [the Gates Foundation’s spend-down announcement] has ended up being a very powerful call to action, both for our staff and for many of our partners.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The agency is working with its partners to stop hackers from exploiting any of the vulnerabilities identified in the report, said Nick Andersen, CISA’s executive assistant director for cybersecurity.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny (and Vogue’s fashionable December digital cover star) took the stage at the 2026 Super Bowl—and brought his celebrity friends along for the celebration.—
Margaux Anbouba,
Vogue,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Bring your friends, too, because it’s meant to serve four.—
Jayna Bardahl,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
New York may be dubbed the city that never sleeps, but Los Angeles gives it a run for its money—at least during Grammys weekend.—
Kelsey Stewart,
Vogue,
31 Jan. 2026
-
This inspired framing of the city that never sleeps serves as the tranquil backdrop of the spa, which offers a traditional Swedish sauna, hot stone massages, and Reiki therapy.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
What this means to you AI companions can feel supportive during loneliness, stress, or grief.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Some active seniors want downtime between adventures; others have health or mobility considerations or are traveling with less-active companions.—
Kathy Boardman,
USA Today,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Democratic governors plan to boycott a White House dinner after two of their colleagues were excluded.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
-
As long as your offerings are clearly labeled, your colleagues can make their own decisions about whether to indulge.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mates. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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