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Glite Dictionary
to rekindle friendship

to rekindle friendship

4.3
To become friends again after time apart
  • phrasal verb
  • /rɪˈkɪndl ˈfrɛndʃɪp/
translation icon : renovar la amistad
  • Travelling together again helped them rekindle friendship that had faded over time.

Examples

  • Social media made it easier for old classmates to rekindle friendship after losing touch.

  • After years of not speaking, they decided to rekindle friendship at their high school reunion.

  • Let's rekindle friendship after all these years.

  • They hope to rekindle friendship after the argument.

  • At their reunion, they made an effort to rekindle friendship and catch up on lost time.

  • Through shared interests, they were able to rekindle friendship that had faded during college.

  • After a long period of silence, she reached out to rekindle friendship with her former best friend.

Synonyms

to restore
vsto rekindle friendship
234 3.8

Make someone feel healthy and full of energy again

applies to renewing a personal relationship after separation rather than to general repair
to reunite
vsto rekindle friendship
138 3.2

To bring people or things back together after being apart

focuses on bringing back the emotional bond of a close relationship rather than physical togetherness
to reconnect
vsto rekindle friendship
86 3.7

Join things or people again after they were apart

focuses specifically on renewing a close relationship after emotional distance or estrangement
to make up
vsto rekindle friendship
77 2.7

Become friends again after a fight

is for renewing a close relationship after distance or estrangement, not just arguments
to rekindle
vsto rekindle friendship
33 5.1

Make a feeling or interest strong again

applies specifically to renewing a close relationship after separation or estrangement

How Reconnected

to restore
70 3.5
to make up
77 2.7
to rekindle friendship
4.3
to reconnect
86 3.7
to get in touch
155 2.3
to reach out
338 2.7

Surface Forms

rekindle friendship infinitive
rekindled friendship past
rekindled friendship past participle
rekindling friendship present participle
rekindles friendship third person singular

Morphology

rekindle + friendship

The meaning 'to restore or renew a friendship' is directly derivable from combining 'rekindle' (to revive or restore feelings) with 'friendship' (a relationship), following a standard verb + noun compositional pattern. This construction has clear parallels in other languages (e.g., Spanish 'reavivar la amistad'), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily understand it.

Etymology

Rekindle friendship comes from the image of a small, dying fire where you blow on the embers or add a little wood to rekindle the friendship's warmth. So, it means 'to restore or renew a friendship' after time apart.