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Glite Dictionary
friendly relationship

friendly relationship

3 1.4
A kind, helpful connection between people or groups who support each other
  • noun
  • /ˈfrɛndli rɪˈleɪʃənʃɪp/
translation icon : relación amistosa
  • The U.S. government has had a stable, friendly relationship with Mexico and, according to Dolia Estvez's Chiapas.

Like they have a super like friendly relationship, kind of like awkward.

Examples

  • Starblanket developed a friendly relationship with the new Indian Affairs minister, Warren Allmand.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Some of the best photos are made by local photographers who formed friendly relationships with Amish people over a period of many years.

    Academic text (2004)

  • Still, since people have to spend time at work, they can benefit from developing friendly relationships at the office.

    Blog text (9)

  • I really value my friendly relationships with other faculty as highly important.

    Academic text (2009)

  • The two entities may not always agree or have a friendly relationship, but they do understand one another.

    Academic text (1993)

  • Learn to play nice and share among your conference mates; a friendly relationship benefits everyone, I assure you.

    Blog text (32)

  • The therapist must develop a warm, friendly relationship with the child, in which good rapport is established as soon as possible.

    Academic text (2005)

  • Fostering friendly relationships with your leads will make for promising business in the future.

    Blog text (8)

  • Fortunately, the friendly relationship between Lorraine and Bruce allowed for a quick resolution of her problem.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • The two colleagues have developed a friendly relationship over the years, often sharing lunch together.

Synonyms

relationship
vsfriendly relationship
∞ 1.8

A close emotional or romantic connection between two people

is a narrower, kind and supportive bond between close people
friendship
vsfriendly relationship
751 1.0

A close relationship between people who like and support each other

focuses on kind, supportive behaviour between people who are close rather than broad connection
rapport
vsfriendly relationship
42 5.5

A friendly, trusting relationship where people understand each other and talk easily

emphasises kind supportive actions between people rather than mainly communication

Antonyms

antagonistic
16 6.8

Acting in a hostile way toward someone or something

How Friendly

intimate
  • NSFW
160 4.4
friendship
751 1.0
friendly relationship
3 1.4
acquaintance
36 4.0

Surface Forms

friendly relationship singular
friendly relationships plural

Morphology

friendly + relationship

The phrase is a straightforward adjective + noun composition where 'friendly' (showing kindness) directly modifies 'relationship' (a connection between people), so the combined meaning is immediately derivable from its parts. This compositional pattern is common across languages and follows basic English grammar, making it readily understandable to a B1 learner who knows both words.

Etymology

Friendly relationship shows a clear picture: friendly means like a friend and relationship means a connection between people, so it describes people who are kind and help each other. That's why it means 'a relationship between people who are friends or act in a kindly and supportive way'.