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pal

pal

1.0
A close friend you spend time with
  • noun
  • /pæl/
  • Informal
translation icon : 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
940 1.0

A person you trust most and talk to about everything

describes a close companion but not necessarily the single closest one
companion
vspal
326 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
mate
vspal
  • UK
213 5.3

A person who is a friend, used in casual talk

is informal too but not marked by gender or social grouping
homie
vspal
  • Slang
131 8.6

A close friend often from the same neighborhood or background

focuses on general shared activities rather than shared local background
sidekick
vspal
108 3.7

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

is a peer companion without the assistant or subordinate role
amigo
vspal
  • Informal
78 7.8

A person you like and trust, often a close friend

is a neutral English term used widely regardless of cultural labels
crony
vspal
  • Offensive
69 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
chum
vspal
  • UK
62 6.4

A close friend you spend a lot of time with

is similar but can imply a slightly less constant association
compadre
vspal
  • Informal
40 7.3

A close friend you trust and spend time with

is broader and not tied to any particular cultural usage
homey
vspal
  • Slang
20 8.6

A close friend you know well and trust

is informal too but more neutral and widely used across contexts
bestie
vspal
  • Slang
19 7.2

A very close friend you trust and talk to often

denotes a close companion but with less emphasis on 'best' status
pen pal
vspal
18 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
loyal friend
vspal
10 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
9 1.0

A person who is your closest and most trusted friend

covers close companionship without implying the very closest status
bubby
vspal
  • Informal
8 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
1 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
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

18 2.9

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

best pal
  • Informal
9 1.0

A person who is your closest and most trusted friend

How Close

best friend
940 1.0
pal
  • Informal
1.0
friend
1.0
acquaintance
114 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.