befriended

Befriended is the past tense and past participle of befriend, a transitive verb meaning to become friends with someone or to cause someone to become your friend. It often describes a deliberate effort to establish a friendly relationship, particularly with someone new, in a social setting, or to provide companionship.

The verb befriend is formed from the prefix be- added to friend, with roots in the history of English. In usage, befriended denotes an action completed in the past and is common in narrative writing, journalism, and fiction to describe how one person cultivated a friendship.

Usage notes: befriended can convey warmth and goodwill, or, depending on context, may imply manipulation if the friendship is pursued for ulterior motives. Common collocations include befriended him, befriended a newcomer, or befriended a neighbor. The term is used for both people and, more rarely, animals, when a person makes an effort to establish a positive relationship.

Examples: She befriended the shy student by inviting them to join the study group. The volunteer leader befriended the town’s newcomers to build a sense of community.