Befriend
v.kind, hopefulwarm
What it means
To deliberately begin treating someone as a friend, often by offering welcome or companionship.
Reach for it when describing the first active steps toward an inclusive friendship
Noor chose to befriend the exchange student during the first lunch break.
Choose between these
6- playful
make friends with
plain informal wording best fits
not when the sentence needs compact formality
- everyday
connect with
initial rapport is still forming
not when loyal companionship already exists
- everyday
bringing someone into an activity matters
not when private companionship is developing
- warm
helping someone feel accepted comes first
not when an ongoing personal bond is promised
- professional
practical help is the main action
not when mutual friendship is the point
- literary
take under one's wing
protective mentoring shapes the relationship
not when the friendship is between equals
Said against
3- shun
- exclude
- alienate
It naturally appears in
3- befriend a newcomer
Lena made time to befriend a newcomer after rehearsal.
- quick to befriend
The old dog was quick to befriend every patient visitor.
- choose to befriend
Several pupils choose to befriend classmates outside their usual group.
Where this comes from
- Wiktionary, Verb sense 1: become a friend to opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.