50 Idioms for Friendship With Meanings & Sentences
Idioms for Friendship
1. Birds of a Feather Flock Together
Meaning: People who are similar in character or interests tend to associate with each other.
In a Sentence: Sarah and Emma both love reading mystery novels, so it’s no surprise they’re always together at the library.
Other Ways to Say: Like attracts like; Birds of a feather stick together.
2. Bestie
Meaning: A close friend; one’s best friend.
In a Sentence: Tommy has been my bestie since kindergarten; we do everything together.
Other Ways to Say: BFF (Best Friends Forever); Close pal.
3. Thick as Thieves
Meaning: Very close or friendly.
In a Sentence: Ever since college, those two have been thick as thieves.
Other Ways to Say: Inseparable; Close-knit.
4. Joined at the Hip
Meaning: Always together; very close friends.
In a Sentence: My cousins are joined at the hip—they even finish each other’s sentences.
Other Ways to Say: Constant companions; Always together.
5. Two Peas in a Pod
Meaning: Very similar in appearance, behavior, or interests.
In a Sentence: Lisa and Jen are like two peas in a pod—they do everything the same.
Other Ways to Say: Identical in spirit; Alike friends.
6. Bury the Hatchet
Meaning: To make peace and become friends again.
In a Sentence: After years of rivalry, the two actors finally buried the hatchet.
Other Ways to Say: Reconcile; Make peace.
7. Fair-Weather Friend
Meaning: A friend who is only around when things are going well.
In a Sentence: When I lost my job, I realized who was a true friend and who was just a fair-weather friend.
Other Ways to Say: Superficial friend; Part-time pal.
8. Shoulder to Cry On
Meaning: Someone who offers sympathy and support.
In a Sentence: When I went through a breakup, Jane was my shoulder to cry on.
Other Ways to Say: Supportive friend; Empathetic ear.
9. Friend in Need
Meaning: Someone who helps during tough times is a true friend.
In a Sentence: A friend in need is a friend indeed, and I’m lucky to have Sam.
Other Ways to Say: Reliable friend; Lifesaver.
10. Hit It Off
Meaning: To form a good relationship from the first moment.
In a Sentence: I met Alex yesterday, and we hit it off instantly.
Other Ways to Say: Instantly clicked; Bonded fast.
11. Old Buddy
Meaning: A friend you’ve known for a long time.
In a Sentence: I ran into my old buddy from college at the grocery store.
Other Ways to Say: Longtime friend; Childhood companion.
12. Make Fast Friends
Meaning: To become close friends quickly.
In a Sentence: After just one group project, we made fast friends.
Other Ways to Say: Bond quickly; Quick connection.
13. Ride or Die
Meaning: A loyal friend who stands by you no matter what.
In a Sentence: She’s my ride or die—we’ve been through everything together.
Other Ways to Say: Loyal companion; Unshakable friend.
14. Circle of Friends
Meaning: A group of people who are all friends.
In a Sentence: My circle of friends has grown since I started this new hobby.
Other Ways to Say: Social group; Friend group.
15. Chummy
Meaning: Very friendly.
In a Sentence: He’s quite chummy with his coworkers.
Other Ways to Say: Affectionate; Warm.
16. Get Along Like a House on Fire
Meaning: To get along extremely well.
In a Sentence: The new interns got along like a house on fire.
Other Ways to Say: Bond instantly; Become besties fast.
17. Shoulder to Lean On
Meaning: A supportive person during hard times.
In a Sentence: He offered me a shoulder to lean on during my darkest days.
Other Ways to Say: Supportive friend; Safe harbor.
18. BFFs
Meaning: Best Friends Forever.
In a Sentence: We’ve been BFFs since second grade.
Other Ways to Say: Besties; Soul sisters.
19. Pal Around
Meaning: To spend time with someone in a friendly way.
In a Sentence: They pal around the city like lifelong friends.
Other Ways to Say: Hang out; Chill together.
20. Buddy System
Meaning: A pairing for safety and companionship.
In a Sentence: We used the buddy system during our hike for safety.
Other Ways to Say: Friend pair; Partner check.
21. Close as Brothers
Meaning: Very close, like family.
In a Sentence: Though not related, they are as close as brothers.
Other Ways to Say: Like siblings; Thick bond.
22. A Shoulder to Rely On
Meaning: Someone dependable.
In a Sentence: Whenever I need advice, I know I have a shoulder to rely on.
Other Ways to Say: Trustworthy friend; Solid rock.
23. Get On Like Cats and Dogs (Negative)
Meaning: Always fighting; not compatible.
In a Sentence: They may be friends now, but they used to get on like cats and dogs.
Other Ways to Say: Constantly argue; Clash a lot.
24. In Someone’s Corner
Meaning: Supporting someone.
In a Sentence: I’ll always be in your corner no matter what happens.
Other Ways to Say: Backing you up; Standing by.
25. Like Family
Meaning: Someone not related but treated like family.
In a Sentence: She’s not just a friend—she’s like family to us.
Other Ways to Say: Close-knit; Heart connection.
26. Through Thick and Thin
Meaning: Standing by someone during good and bad times.
In a Sentence: Real friends are there through thick and thin.
Other Ways to Say: Loyal always; Stick through storms.
27. A Friend for Life
Meaning: A friend who remains close forever.
In a Sentence: I knew when we met that she would be a friend for life.
Other Ways to Say: Lifelong friend; Forever bond.
28. Like Two Peas in a Pod
Meaning: Very close and similar.
In a Sentence: Those two are like two peas in a pod.
Other Ways to Say: Kindred spirits; Exact match.
29. Partner in Crime
Meaning: A close companion in fun or mischievous activities.
In a Sentence: We’ve been partners in crime since middle school.
Other Ways to Say: Mischief mate; Co-adventurer.
30. Shoulder to Support
Meaning: Someone to lean on in hard times.
In a Sentence: She’s always been my shoulder to support.
Other Ways to Say: Rock; Emotional anchor.
31. A Shoulder to Cry On
Meaning: A supportive person who listens and offers comfort.
In a Sentence: After her breakup, Mia needed a shoulder to cry on, and Lily was always there.
Other Ways to Say: Supportive friend, emotional support.
32. Ride or Die
Meaning: A friend who stays loyal through all situations.
In a Sentence: Jake has always been my ride or die; he’s never left my side.
Other Ways to Say: Loyal companion, true friend.
33. Joined at the Hip
Meaning: Extremely close friends who are always together.
In a Sentence: Ever since college, Mike and Tony have been joined at the hip.
Other Ways to Say: Inseparable, always together.
34. Like Peas in a Pod
Meaning: Very similar and always found together.
In a Sentence: Lucy and Anna are like peas in a pod—same hobbies, same humor.
Other Ways to Say: Very alike, two of a kind.
35. Two Peas in a Pod
Meaning: Two people who are very close or alike.
In a Sentence: My sister and I are two peas in a pod—we even finish each other’s sentences.
Other Ways to Say: Perfect pair, just alike.
36. Old Pal
Meaning: A longtime friend.
In a Sentence: I met my old pal, Rick, at our 20-year high school reunion.
Other Ways to Say: Longtime friend, old buddy.
37. Buddy Up
Meaning: To become friends or pair with someone.
In a Sentence: During the school trip, we had to buddy up for safety.
Other Ways to Say: Team up, partner.
38. Friends in High Places
Meaning: Friends with influence or power.
In a Sentence: He got the job easily because he has friends in high places.
Other Ways to Say: Powerful connections, influential friends.
39. Fair-Weather Friend
Meaning: A friend who is only around during good times.
In a Sentence: When I lost my job, I realized Mark was just a fair-weather friend.
Other Ways to Say: Unreliable friend, conditional friend.
40. Put in a Good Word
Meaning: To recommend or support someone.
In a Sentence: My friend put in a good word for me, and I got the internship.
Other Ways to Say: Recommend, speak highly of.
41. A Friend Indeed
Meaning: A loyal and helpful friend in times of need.
In a Sentence: When I was sick, Jenny brought food every day—she’s a friend indeed.
Other Ways to Say: Reliable friend, true support.
42. Thick as Thieves
Meaning: Very close and conspiratorial.
In a Sentence: The two brothers were thick as thieves when planning pranks.
Other Ways to Say: Very close, in perfect sync.
43. Friend Zone
Meaning: A situation where one person sees the other only as a friend, not romantically.
In a Sentence: I like her, but I think I’m stuck in the friend zone.
Other Ways to Say: Just friends, platonic zone.
44. Hit It Off
Meaning: To immediately get along with someone.
In a Sentence: We hit it off right away during our first class together.
Other Ways to Say: Click instantly, immediate bond.
45. In Cahoots
Meaning: Working together in secret, often for mischief.
In a Sentence: The kids were clearly in cahoots to sneak out at night.
Other Ways to Say: Secretly aligned, up to something together.
46. No Love Lost
Meaning: A mutual dislike despite being connected.
In a Sentence: They work together, but there’s no love lost between them.
Other Ways to Say: Mutual resentment, cold friendship.
47. Frenemy
Meaning: Someone who pretends to be a friend but is actually an enemy.
In a Sentence: Watch out—she’s more of a frenemy than a true friend.
Other Ways to Say: Fake friend, disguised rival.
48. On Good Terms
Meaning: Having a friendly and respectful relationship.
In a Sentence: Even after the disagreement, they remained on good terms.
Other Ways to Say: Cordial, still friends.
49. Make Friends
Meaning: To become friends with someone.
In a Sentence: It was hard at first, but I eventually made friends at my new school.
Other Ways to Say: Befriend, get to know.
50. Circle of Friends
Meaning: A group of close friends.
In a Sentence: She has a small but loyal circle of friends.
Other Ways to Say: Close-knit group, friend group.
