befriended

IPA/bɪˈfrend/
KK[bɪfrˈɛndɪd]IPA/bɪˈfrend/

befriended — verb

  • befriendedpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • befriendeds3rd person singular
  • befriendeding-ing form
  • befriendededpast simple

1. to start a friendly relationship with someone, especially someone who is new, lo

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

to start a friendly relationship with someone, especially someone who is new, lonely, or in a position where they could use a friend's support.

例句

When Mark moved to a new school, a kind classmate named Leo befriended him on his very first day.

befriend + direct object (someone new)

The elderly woman next door seemed lonely, so Bao's family befriended her and invited her to dinner.

同義詞
  • make friends with

    more common in everyday conversation; requires a preposition ('with')

  • get to know

    focuses on the process of becoming acquainted rather than the act of welcoming

  • take under one's wing

    idiomatic; implies guidance and protection, not just friendship

反義詞
  • snub

    to ignore or reject someone deliberately

  • alienate

    to cause someone to feel isolated or unfriendly

文法句型

befriend + person

用法筆記

Subject is usually a person or a group; the direct object is a person (or occasionally an animal) that the subject actively reaches out to. The verb carries a positive connotation of warmth and intentional kindness.

常見錯誤

❌I befriended with him at the party.
✅I befriended him at the party.
💡'befriend' is transitive and takes a direct object without a preposition.
❌We befriended each other for many years.
✅We were friends for many years.
💡'befriend' describes the beginning of a friendship, not its duration.

2. to include someone in your personal list of online contacts on Facebook, LinkedI

2.動詞及物B1
釋義

to include someone in your personal list of online contacts on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or other similar platforms.

例句

After the conference, Tuan befriended the keynote speaker on LinkedIn and sent a polite message.

befriend + [person] + on [platform]

Lara befriended over three hundred people on the gaming forum during her first month online.

同義詞
  • friend

    shorter form, very common in US English ('He friended me on Facebook')

  • add

    informal and platform-neutral ('She added me on WeChat')

  • follow

    different function — following does not require mutual consent like befriending does

反義詞
  • unfriend

    to remove someone from your friends list

  • block

    to prevent someone from contacting or viewing your profile

文法句型

befriend + person (on social media platform)

用法筆記

Almost always used in the context of a specific social-media platform, which is typically named after the verb with the preposition 'on'. The verb 'friend' (without 'be-') is more common in American English; 'befriend' is slightly more formal and more common in British English for this sense.

常見錯誤

❌I befriended him.' (in a social-media context without naming the platform)
✅I befriended him on Facebook.
💡The platform should be specified to avoid confusion with sense 1.
❌She befriended me as a friend.
✅She befriended me on Instagram.
💡'as a friend' is redundant; specify the platform instead.