best friend

[ best frend ]

noun

1. a person’s closest or most cherished friend:

   Sheila has been my best friend since we were seven.

   Synonyms: bosom friend, bosom buddy, bff, bf, bestie

2. something that a person particularly depends on or has a special affection for:

   A purple, stuffed armadillo was my best friend and companion through my whole childhood.

3. something considered or suggested to be particularly useful or valuable:

   When it comes to saving for retirement, compound interest is your new best friend.

   Your local piano tuner could be your best friend when buying a piano.

Word History and Origins

Origin of best friend¹

First recorded before 1000

Example Sentences

Fifty-five years ago, preschoolers were captivated by the TV performance of a fuzzy blue monster, two striped shirt-wearing best friends and a big yellow bird.

From Los Angeles Times

Timmy is an accepted member of the class: he fails to complete homework, faces adversity and causes trouble with his disabled best friend Jimmy.

From BBC

Netanyahu has previously called Trump the "best friend Israel has ever had in the White House".

From BBC

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Trump the “best friend that Israel has ever had in the White House”.

From BBC

“In the race to be my best friend between Senator Fetterman and Governor Hobbs, Governor Hobbs wins by a jillion,” Stewart jabbed.

From Salon