bedfellow
noun
bed·fel·low
ˈbed-ˌfe-(ˌ)lō 
1
: one who shares a bed with another
2
: a person or thing closely associated with another : ally
political bedfellows
—often used in the phrase strange bedfellows to describe an unlikely alliance of people or thingsPolitics indeed makes strange bedfellows and on the issue of local regulation of pesticides, environmental and states' rights advocates have joined forces.—
Elena S. Rutrick
Elena S. RutrickPolities and good architecture are strange bedfellows, but in Barcelona the marriage has worked.—Cathleen McGuigan
Cathleen McGuiganSynonyms
Examples of bedfellow in a Sentence
a child-welfare cause that has made bedfellows of activists who are normally on opposite ends of the political spectrum
Recent Examples on the Web
Expectations and maturity can be strange bedfellows.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 25 May 2024
Artists and architects are obvious bedfellows, but many singers, actors, and athletes have added their two cents to the world of haute horology.
—Nora Taylor, Robb Report, 20 May 2024
The political environment is also creating some odd bedfellows for Mr. Trump.
—Rob Copeland, New York Times, 15 May 2024
An Israeli response, however, would test the durability of an informal coalition of awkward bedfellows, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, whose recent cooperation against Iran has the potential to be damaging on the home front, analysts say.
—Matt Bradley, NBC News, 16 Apr. 2024
But as the process plays out in surreal time, a second dynamic, far less tectonic in nature but equally fascinating, is unfolding: The CFP contract negotiations have cast the Big 12 and the ACC as necessary partners, the strangest of bedfellows.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024
Uncertainty and speed are scary bedfellows: 79% of Americans do not trust corporations to make responsible choices about implementing AI.
—Ann Kowal Smith, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
From Armani Hotels to Palazzo Versace, the fashion and hospitality worlds have long been amicable bedfellows.
—Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
And despite the strange bedfellows that support for the proposition garnered — including prominent Democrats, some Republican legislators, police unions and sheriff’s offices — the results align with polling before the election.
—Lindsey Holden, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024
Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 25 May 2024
Artists and architects are obvious bedfellows, but many singers, actors, and athletes have added their two cents to the world of haute horology.
—Nora Taylor, Robb Report, 20 May 2024
The political environment is also creating some odd bedfellows for Mr. Trump.
—Rob Copeland, New York Times, 15 May 2024
An Israeli response, however, would test the durability of an informal coalition of awkward bedfellows, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, whose recent cooperation against Iran has the potential to be damaging on the home front, analysts say.
—Matt Bradley, NBC News, 16 Apr. 2024
But as the process plays out in surreal time, a second dynamic, far less tectonic in nature but equally fascinating, is unfolding: The CFP contract negotiations have cast the Big 12 and the ACC as necessary partners, the strangest of bedfellows.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024
Uncertainty and speed are scary bedfellows: 79% of Americans do not trust corporations to make responsible choices about implementing AI.
—Ann Kowal Smith, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
From Armani Hotels to Palazzo Versace, the fashion and hospitality worlds have long been amicable bedfellows.
—Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
And despite the strange bedfellows that support for the proposition garnered — including prominent Democrats, some Republican legislators, police unions and sheriff’s offices — the results align with polling before the election.
—Lindsey Holden, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bedfellow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Bedfellow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bedfellow. Accessed 31 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bedfellow
noun
bed·fel·low
ˈbed-ˌfel-ō
: one who shares a bed with another
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