What does "friendly" mean?
A game which is of no consequence in terms of ranking, betting, etc.
Friendly
/ˈfɹɛnd.li/ adj, adv, name, noun
adj, adv, name, noun ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A game which is of no consequence in terms of ranking, betting, etc.
- Grammar: friendly is listed as adj, adv, name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: accessible, accessible, accommodating, acquainted.
- Useful contrasts: aloof, belligerent, brusque.
- Usage evidence: You must be friendly with your neighbors.
How to use "friendly"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "friendly" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "friendly" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "friendly" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "friendly" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "friendly" is acting as adj, adv, name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "accessible" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "friendly", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A game which is of no consequence in terms of ranking, betting, etc.
"This match is merely a friendly, so don't worry too much about it."
- 2 troops belonging to or allied with your own military forces wordnet
- 3 A person or entity on the same side as one's own in a conflict.
"These were speedily routed by the friendlies, who attacked the small force before them in fine style."
Adjective
- 1 Generally warm, approachable and easy to relate with in character.
"Your cat seems very friendly."
- 2 Inviting, characteristic of friendliness.
"He gave a friendly smile."
- 3 Having an easy or accepting relationship with something.
"a user-friendly software program"
- 4 Compatible with, or not damaging to (the compounded noun). in-compounds
"The cobbled streets aren't very bike-friendly."
- 5 Without any hostility.
"a friendly competition"
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 Promoting the good of any person; favourable; propitious.
"a friendly breeze or gale"
- 7 Of or pertaining to friendlies (friendly noun sense 2, below). Also applied to other bipolar confrontations, such as team sports. usually
"The soldier was killed by friendly fire."
- 8 Being or relating to two or more natural numbers with a common abundancy.
"friendly"
Adjective
- 1 characteristic of or befitting a friend wordnet
- 2 of or belonging to your own country's forces or those of an ally wordnet
- 3 easy to understand or use wordnet
- 4 inclined to help or support; not antagonistic or hostile wordnet
Adverb
- 1 In a friendly manner; like a friend.
"And looke we friendly on them when they come: But if they offer word or violence, Weele fight fiue hundred men at armes to one, Before we part with our poſſeſſion: […]"
Proper Noun
- 1 A place name:; A suburban settlement just west of Sowerby Bridge, Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, West Yorkshire, England (OS grid ref SE0524).
- 2 A place name:; A census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States.
- 3 A place name:; A neighbourhood of Eugene, Lane County, Oregon, United States.
- 4 A place name:; A town in Tyler County, West Virginia, United States.
- 5 A surname.
Antonyms
Example
"You must be friendly with your neighbors."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "friendly"?
Common synonyms include: accessible, accessible, accommodating, acquainted, affable, affable.
How do you use "friendly" in a sentence?
You must be friendly with your neighbors.
How do you pronounce "friendly"?
Pronounced /ˈfɹɛnd.li/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English frendly, freendly, frendely, frendlich, from Old English frēondlīċ, from Proto-Germanic *frijōndlīkaz, equivalent to friend + -ly. Cognate with Saterland Frisian früntelk, fjuntelk (“friendly”), West Frisian freonlik (“friendly”), Dutch vriendelijk (“friendly”), German Low German fründelk, frünnelk (“friendly”), German freundlich (“friendly”). Doublet of friendlike.
Etymology 2
From Middle English frendly, frendliche, from Old English frēondlīċe (“in a friendly manner”), equivalent to friend + -ly.