noun

best friend

BEST FREND

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Best friend (noun) means the one person you are closest to outside your family, whom you trust most, tell things you tell nobody else, and choose to spend the most time with. Example: “Priya has been my best friend since we were eleven.”

noun

The one person you are closest to outside your family, whom you trust most, tell things you tell nobody else, and choose to spend the most time with.

"Priya has been my best friend since we were eleven."

"He asked his best friend to be best man."

Something valued as reliably helpful or comforting, in phrases that treat an object as if it were a companion.

"A good sharp knife is a cook's best friend."

"Diamonds are a girl's best friend."

How to use best friend

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe person you are closest to and trust most.

When to use it

Neutral. Bestie and BFF are the casual forms; BFF originated in text and is now used ironically as often as sincerely.

Memory tip

You can have more than one close friend but normally only one best friend; if you name several, say 'we're best friends' or 'one of my closest friends'.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

bestie → BFF → close friend boyfriend →

Common pairings

my best friend best friend since childhood best friend forever man's best friend become best friends

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Priya has been my _____ since we were eleven.

Etymology

From Middle English best frend, best freond, equivalent to best + friend. Compare West Frisian bêste freon (“best friend”), Dutch beste vriend (“best friend”), German bester Freund (“best friend”).

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

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closest friend BFF bestie confidant soulmate

Antonyms

worst enemy stranger

Related words

friend unknown confident alien stranger companion intimate neighbour

Rhymes for best friend

fiend friend befriend boyfriend girlfriend

See all rhymes for best friend →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a best friend and a close friend?

A close friend is someone you trust and see often, and you can have several. A best friend is the single closest of those, the default person you tell first and call in a crisis. The distinction is about ranking, not warmth.

What is the difference between BFF and best friend?

BFF stands for best friends forever and means the same thing, but it is informal, came out of text messaging and is often used lightly or jokingly. Best friend is what you would say in serious conversation or in writing.

Can you have more than one best friend?

Grammatically it is a superlative, so strictly there is only one. In practice people often say 'my best friends' about a small group, and nobody objects; it just signals a tier rather than a single ranking.

What is the meaning of best friend?

"best friend" (noun) means the one person you are closest to outside your family, whom you trust most, tell things you tell nobody else, and choose to spend the most time with.

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friend unknown confident alien stranger companion intimate neighbour