as in to friend
to become a friend to (someone)
He befriended the new student.
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Recent Examples of befriend
Odessa A’zion voices Nikki Baxter, a new kid who befriends our core group of Hawkins kids.
—
Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
Still, the King of Pop's life wasn't without controversy, which ranged from wacky (befriending and adopting a chimp) to much darker (child abuse allegations).
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
His son goes to Hogwarts and befriends Draco Malfoy’s son in a new journey that includes magic, a massive battle and many special effects.
—Charlotte Observer, 21 Apr. 2026
In the 2008 storyline, Peanut (Jarryd Joseph) is part of the family, having been befriended by Cricket Foster (Roderick Randle) when both were in elementary school.
—Amy Reyes, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for befriend
Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
Still, the King of Pop's life wasn't without controversy, which ranged from wacky (befriending and adopting a chimp) to much darker (child abuse allegations).
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
His son goes to Hogwarts and befriends Draco Malfoy’s son in a new journey that includes magic, a massive battle and many special effects.
—Charlotte Observer, 21 Apr. 2026
In the 2008 storyline, Peanut (Jarryd Joseph) is part of the family, having been befriended by Cricket Foster (Roderick Randle) when both were in elementary school.
—Amy Reyes, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for befriend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befriend
Verb
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Jamison Mobley, her 18-year-old brother Jackson, friends Jaylyn Fehr, 17, and Charlotte Martin, 16, were traveling to St. George Island in Florida to visit family and friends on April 6, according to the Franklin County Sheriff's Office.—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026
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The discourse started to boil when the Duchess of Sussex declared to friend Mindy Kaling that her last name is now Sussex in season 1 of Netflix’s With Love, Meghan, which premiered in March 2025.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago’s past.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
5 May 2026
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She's joined by her costars Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci (though Meryl Streep is seemingly skipping the event).—
Anika Reed,
USA Today,
5 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Befriend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befriend. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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