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pal

pal

∞ 1.0
A close friend you spend time with
  • noun
  • /pæl/
  • Informal
: colega
  • Jessie, this is my old pal, Eddie.
  • best pal
  • pen pal
  • become pals

And these two, I think they're, they're pals, young guys.

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Examples

  • And we've become pals over the years.

  • Tomorrow on the Boardwalk, his pals will ask, "How did it go?"

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Okay, pal, we're going to get you out of town.

  • Again, another good old pal of Prince Andrew.

  • Hey, so I got some good news for you, pal.

  • We were pals and he passed away way too soon.

  • Three cheers for our pal Charlie Day.

  • Let's start with your old pal Christian Cooper.

  • Marcus has just spotted his good old pal from a couple of years ago.

  • Marcus has just spotted his good old pal from a couple of years ago.

Synonyms

friend
vspal
∞ 1.0

A person you know well and like who is not family or a romantic partner

is more casual and stresses shared time and activities rather than bond depth
buddy
vspal
  • Informal
∞ 1.0

A close friend you spend time with

is the same closeness but more general and less regular in meeting
best friend
vspal
∞ 1.0

A person you trust most and talk to about everything

describes a close companion but not necessarily the single closest one
mate
vspal
  • UK
707 5.3

A person who is a friend, used in casual talk

is informal too but not marked by gender or social grouping
companion
vspal
245 1.8

A person who stays with someone to keep them company and help with daily tasks

focuses more on social closeness and shared everyday activities
homie
vspal
  • Slang
145 8.6

A close friend often from the same neighborhood or background

focuses on general shared activities rather than shared local background
amigo
vspal
  • Informal
120 7.8

A person you like and trust, often a close friend

is a neutral English term used widely regardless of cultural labels
sidekick
vspal
98 3.7

A close friend who helps and stays with someone, especially a hero

is a peer companion without the assistant or subordinate role
homey
vspal
  • Slang
94 8.6

A close friend you know well and trust

is informal too but more neutral and widely used across contexts
chum
vspal
  • UK
57 6.4

A close friend you spend a lot of time with

is similar but can imply a slightly less constant association
crony
vspal
  • Offensive
52 6.3

A close friend in a small group who often gets special treatment

is more neutral and does not imply exclusivity or negative connotations
compadre
vspal
  • Informal
36 7.3

A close friend you trust and spend time with

is broader and not tied to any particular cultural usage
pen pal
vspal
23 2.9

A person in another country you write letters to and become friends with

is about local company and shared activities, not long-distance correspondence
bestie
vspal
  • Slang
20 7.2

A very close friend you trust and talk to often

denotes a close companion but with less emphasis on 'best' status
loyal friend
vspal
20 1.0

A person who always supports you and can be trusted

focuses on shared time and activities rather than loyalty intensity
best pal
vspal
  • Informal
11 1.0

A person who is your closest and most trusted friend

covers close companionship without implying the very closest status
bubby
vspal
  • Informal
7 9.1

A friendly name for a close friend

is a neutral label for a companion rather than a direct affectionate address
intimate
vspal
5 5.1

A close friend you share personal things with

focuses on spending time and shared activities rather than private intimacy
paisano
vspal
  • Slang
2 9.3

A friendly, informal word people use for a friend

is the general word without any ethnic or regional association
choom
vspal
  • Slang
1 9.9

A close friend you spend time with, often online or in games

is the common everyday companion term not limited to that subculture
pen-friend
vspal
  • UK
1 3.2

A person you write to and know only by letters, often never meeting

involves in-person shared activities rather than remote written contact

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

A person who wants to harm or defeat you

Compounds

23 2.9

A person in another country you write letters to and become friends with

best pal
  • Informal
11 1.0

A person who is your closest and most trusted friend

How Close

best friend
∞ 1.0
pal
  • Informal
∞ 1.0
friend
∞ 1.0
acquaintance
156 3.5

Surface Forms

pal singular
pals plural

Etymology

Pal comes from the Romani word phral, which means 'brother', and travellers used it like 'brother' to mean a close friend. That's why pal now means a close friend or companion.