friendship
gb/fɹˈɛndʃɪp/ us/fɹˈɛndʃɪp/
A2
English
~ 6600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
relation
1
close relationship between friends
A good, close relationship between people who are friends.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s friendship with [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"I have a good relation with her"* when they mean a close personal connection; in this context, *"I have a good friendship with her"* or more naturally *"She and I have a good friendship"* or *"We are good friends"* is better. Another common mistake is confusing *friendship* and *friendliness*: *friendship* is a relationship between specific people, while *friendliness* is a general warm behavior.
Synonyms
companionship (Emphasizes spending time together, not always the emotional closeness of friendship.)
|
friendliness (Describes a general warm manner, not necessarily a long-term relationship.)
Antonyms
enmity (A strong feeling of hate between people instead of a friendly relationship.)
|
hostility (An unfriendly or aggressive relationship, the opposite of warm, supportive ties.)
Collocations
close friendship
|form a friendship
|build a friendship
|lifelong friendship
|true friendship
|a bond of friendship
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Their friendship began in high school and grew stronger over the years.
- She values her friendship with Maria more than any romantic relationship.
- A shared love of music was the start of their deep friendship.
- Over time, their working relationship turned into a real friendship.
- Moving abroad tested their friendship, but they stayed in touch every week.
Learner examples
- Our friendship started when we were children.
- I am grateful for my friendship with him.
- Their friendship is very important to both of them.
- They have a close friendship and tell each other everything.
- Her friendship helped me through a difficult time.
Noun
B2
state
2
friendly relations between groups
A good, friendly relationship between groups, organizations, or countries.
Usage pattern:
friendship between [groups/countries]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse *friendship* where *"good relations"* or *"cooperation"* is more natural in formal news or political writing. Also, *friendship with* is used for specific partners (*friendship with China*), while *friendship between* is used when mentioning both sides (*friendship between China and Brazil*).
Synonyms
good relations (Common in news and politics; neutral, slightly more formal than friendship.)
|
alliance (Focuses on formal agreement or support, not just warm feeling.)
Antonyms
conflict (Describes active disagreement or fighting between groups, the opposite of friendly relations.)
|
rivalry (Ongoing competition or opposition instead of cooperative friendship.)
Collocations
international friendship
|promote friendship
|a symbol of friendship
|ties of friendship
|friendship between nations
|message of friendship
Themes
politics
|society
|diplomacy
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The festival was created to strengthen friendship between the two neighboring countries.
- Their trade agreement marked a new era of friendship and cooperation.
- The gift was offered as a sign of friendship between the two cities.
- The organization works to promote friendship among different cultural groups.
- Student exchanges can build lasting friendship between nations.
Learner examples
- The two countries want peace and friendship.
- This event helps create friendship between our schools.
- The leaders spoke about friendship and trust.
- Sports can build friendship between different groups.
- They sent food as a sign of friendship.
Grammar
Dictionary form
friendship
IPA
GB/fɹˈɛndʃɪp/
US/fɹˈɛndʃɪp/
Syllables & stress
friend - ship (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (friend)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: friendship
- Plural: friendship, friendships
Word family
Forms
friendships
noun
Related words
friendliness
noun B1
befriend
verb
Negative and opposite forms
unfriendly
adjective B1
friendless
adjective
Expressions
a bond of friendship
10/ə bˈɑnd əv fɹˈɛndʃɪp/
fixed phrase
strong connection of friendship
A strong feeling that joins friends together.
Examples
- A bond of friendship grew between the two families.
- Shared experiences created a strong bond of friendship among the team members.
a symbol of friendship
11/ə sˈɪmbəl əv fɹˈɛndʃɪp/
fixed phrase
something that represents friendship
Something that shows or represents friendship.
Examples
- They exchanged gifts as a symbol of friendship.
- The bridge was built as a symbol of friendship between the two cities.
build a friendship
4/bˈɪld ə fɹˈɛndʃɪp/
fixed phrase
develop a stronger friendship
To slowly make a friendship stronger over time.
Examples
- It takes time to build a friendship based on trust.
- Traveling together can really build a friendship.
close friendship
1/klˈoʊs fɹˈɛndʃɪp/
fixed phrase
a very strong friendship
A very strong and personal friendship where people share many things.
Examples
- Their close friendship helped them through many hard times.
- A close friendship can sometimes feel almost like family.
form a friendship
3/fˈɔɹm ə fɹˈɛndʃɪp/
fixed phrase
start a new friendship
To start a friendship with someone.
Examples
- She quickly formed a friendship with her new neighbor.
- Children often form friendships more easily than adults.
friendship group
9/fɹˈɛndʃɪp ɡɹˈup/
fixed phrase
group of people who are friends
A group of people who are all friends and often meet or do things together.
Examples
- At school she joined a new friendship group in her class.
- Sometimes one person may feel left out of a friendship group.
lifelong friendship
6/lˈaɪflˈɔŋ fɹˈɛndʃɪp/
fixed phrase
friendship lasting all your life
A friendship that continues for all of a person’s life.
Examples
- They developed a lifelong friendship after meeting at university.
- Childhood friends often share lifelong friendships.
strike up a friendship
5/stɹˈaɪk ˈʌp ə fɹˈɛndʃɪp/
idiom
start a friendship easily
To start a friendship with someone, especially quickly and easily after you first meet.
Examples
- He struck up a friendship with the man sitting next to him on the plane.
- They struck up a friendship over their shared love of books.
true friendship
2/tɹˈu fɹˈɛndʃɪp/
fixed phrase
genuine and loyal friendship
A very honest and loyal kind of friendship, not based on money or use.
Examples
- You learn the meaning of true friendship when you face problems together.
- True friendship is not broken by small arguments.
friendship bracelet
7/fɹˈɛndʃɪp bɹˈeɪslɪt/
fixed phrase
informal
bracelet showing friendship
A simple bracelet that you give to a friend to show your friendship.
Examples
- She made a friendship bracelet for her best friend.
- Teenagers often exchange friendship bracelets at summer camp.
friendship bracelet
8/fɹˈɛndʃɪp bɹˈeɪslɪt/
fixed phrase
handmade bracelet symbolizing friendship
A simple bracelet, often made of colored threads, that friends make and give to each other to show their friendship.
Examples
- The kids spent the afternoon making friendship bracelets at summer camp.
- She still wears the friendship bracelet her best friend gave her in high school.
- They exchanged friendship bracelets before going to different universities.