befriend

verb

be·​friend bi-ˈfrend How to pronounce befriend (audio)
befriended; befriending; befriends

transitive verb

: to become or act as a friend to
befriended the new student

Examples of befriend in a Sentence

He befriended the new student.
Recent Examples on the Web Bazille had by now befriended his hero, so his decision to highlight the peonies was a kind of homage. Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024 Almost immediately Simpson got involved with the city’s burgeoning Civil Rights Movement and befriended Theodore Gibson, the rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Coconut Grove and one of the Black community’s leading activists at the time. C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024 Shortly after moving to El Llano, Escobar met and befriended an anthropologist, Francisca Reyes. Ana Karina Zatarain, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2024 Peck appeared on multiple episodes of Boy Meets World in 1997 and befriended the young Strong and Friedle, who played Shawn and Eric respectively on the ABC sitcom. Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 19 Feb. 2024 Truth moved in and out of spiritualist circles, befriending people who sought communication with the dead. Cynthia Greenlee, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Feb. 2024 Orion and the Dark (2024): Elementary kid Orion, plagued by fears, befriends his greatest fear—the Dark. Travis Bean, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 The budding entrepreneur befriended the family and staff, picking up tips and recipes along the way. Danielle Dorsey, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2024 She is befriended by a younger, somewhat solitary man who, in turn, suffers from panic attacks. Patrick Frater, Variety, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'befriend.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1559, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of befriend was in 1559

Dictionary Entries Near befriend

Cite this Entry

“Befriend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/befriend. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

befriend

verb
be·​friend bi-ˈfrend How to pronounce befriend (audio)
: to become or act as a friend to
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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