friendly

1 of 3

adjective

friend·​ly ˈfren(d)-lē How to pronounce friendly (audio)
friendlier; friendliest
1
: of, relating to, or befitting a friend: such as
a
: showing kindly interest and goodwill
friendly neighbors
b
: not hostile
a friendly merger offer
also : involving or coming from actions of one's own forces
friendly fire
c
: cheerful, comforting
the friendly glow of the fire
2
: serving a beneficial or helpful purpose
A friendly breeze finally drove the boat into harbor.
3
a
: easy to use or understand
friendly computer software
often used in combination
a reader-friendly layout
b
: designed or intended to accommodate particular needs, users, etc.
usually used in combination
a kid-friendly restaurant
… providing a more business-friendly and professional environment …Matt Miller
see also user-friendly
4
: not causing or likely to cause harm
environmentally friendly packaging [=packaging that does not damage the environment]
often used in combination
an eco-friendly vehicle
friendlily adverb

friendly

2 of 3

adverb

: in a friendly manner : amicably

friendly

3 of 3

noun

plural friendlies
1
: one that is friendly
especially : a native who is friendly to settlers or invaders
2
chiefly British : a match between sports teams and especially international teams that has no connection with league or championship play
Choose the Right Synonym for friendly

amicable, neighborly, friendly mean exhibiting goodwill and an absence of antagonism.

amicable implies a state of peace and a desire on the part of the parties not to quarrel.

maintained amicable relations

neighborly implies a disposition to live on good terms with others and to be helpful on principle.

neighborly concern

friendly stresses cordiality and often warmth or intimacy of personal relations.

sought friendly advice

Examples of friendly in a Sentence

Adjective The local people are very friendly to visitors. It was friendly of him to offer to help us. His friendly smile was reassuring. They maintained a friendly correspondence. A friendly breeze helped us sail the boat into the harbor.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Adjective
The roster for Sunday's friendly is loaded with professional players, including two holdovers from this summer's gold medal squad: midfielder Hal Hershfelt and defender Emily Sams. Nate Rau, Axios, 25 Oct. 2024 Still, some observers point out that Trump 2.0 might not be as friendly to the industry as his first time in office. Hugh Son, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2024
Adverb
Weighing only 2 pounds, the tabletop grill is small space and camping-friendly—made for balconies, camping, and patios. Gabriela Izquierdo, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Mar. 2023 Planned performances resumed Friday, and a program nothing if not audience friendly filled plenty of seats at the Meyerson Symphony Center. Dallas News, 4 Feb. 2023
Noun
But forward Tim Weah, midfielder Weston McKennie and defender Antonee Robinson are all back after missing the September friendlies. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2024 Last summer, Leipzig conducted their first tour to the United States and played friendlies at the Red Bull Arena in Newark against Aston Villa (2-0) and in Fort Lauderdale against Wolverhampton (0-3). Manuel Veth, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for friendly 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see friend entry 1

Adverb

see friend entry 1

Noun

see friend entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1836, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of friendly was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near friendly

Cite this Entry

“Friendly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/friendly. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

friendly

1 of 2 adjective
friend·​ly ˈfren-dlē How to pronounce friendly (audio)
friendlier; friendliest
: of, relating to, or right for a friend: as
a
: showing kindly interest and goodwill
a friendly gesture
b
: not hostile
friendly neighbors
c
: helpful, favorable
a friendly breeze
d
: bringing comfort or cheer
the friendly glow of the fire
e
: accommodating, compatible
environmentally friendly packaging
often used in combination
a kid-friendly restaurant
friendliness noun

friendly

2 of 2 noun
plural friendlies
: a person who is friendly or cooperative

Legal Definition

friendly

adjective
friend·​ly
: agreeable to those affected : not hostile
a friendly takeover

More from Merriam-Webster on friendly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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