boyfriend
gb/bˈɔɪfɹˌɛnd/ us/bˈɔɪfɹˌɛnd/
A1
English
~ 800
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
a man in a romantic relationship
A man who is your romantic partner.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s boyfriend
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'boyfriend' with 'male friend'. 'Boyfriend' always implies a romantic relationship, not just friendship.
Synonyms
partner (More gender-neutral and can refer to any gender in a romantic relationship.)
|
lover (More intimate or sexual connotation, sometimes used in more formal or literary contexts.)
Antonyms
girlfriend (Refers to a female romantic partner instead of a male one.)
|
ex-boyfriend (Refers to a former male romantic partner, no longer in the relationship.)
Collocations
ex-boyfriend
|long-term boyfriend
|new boyfriend
|serious boyfriend
|former boyfriend
Themes
relationships
|daily life
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She introduced her boyfriend to her parents last weekend.
- My boyfriend and I are planning a trip to Italy.
- He's been her boyfriend since high school.
- She broke up with her boyfriend after three years together.
- Her boyfriend sent her flowers for her birthday.
Learner examples
- This is my boyfriend, Tom.
- I go to the movies with my boyfriend.
- Her boyfriend is very kind.
- She talks to her boyfriend every day.
- My boyfriend likes football.
Grammar
Dictionary form
boyfriend
IPA
GB/bˈɔɪfɹˌɛnd/
US/bˈɔɪfɹˌɛnd/
Syllables & stress
boy - friend (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (boy)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: boyfriend
- Plural: boyfriends
Word family
Expressions
boyfriend material
1/bˈɔɪfɹˌɛnd mətˈɪɹiəl/
fixed phrase
informal
man seen as suitable for dating
A man who has qualities that make him a good boyfriend.
Examples
- Everyone says he's total boyfriend material.
- She thinks he's nice, but not exactly boyfriend material.
ex-boyfriend
1/ˈɛks bˈɔɪfɹˌɛnd/
fixed phrase
former male romantic partner
A man who used to be your boyfriend but is not anymore.
Examples
- She ran into her ex-boyfriend at the supermarket.
- His ex-boyfriend still calls him sometimes.
new boyfriend
1/njˈu bˈɔɪfɹˌɛnd/
fixed phrase
recent male romantic partner
A man who has recently become your boyfriend.
Examples
- She brought her new boyfriend to the dinner.
- Her friends were curious about her new boyfriend.
steady boyfriend
1/stˈɛdi bˈɔɪfɹˌɛnd/
fixed phrase
long-term male romantic partner
A boyfriend you have been with for a long time and see regularly.
Examples
- She's had a steady boyfriend since college.
- I met her steady boyfriend at the party.