# friendly

/ˈfɹɛndɫi/ (US) · /fɹˈɛndli/ (UK) · CEFR A1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/friendly
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

behaving in a kind and pleasant way toward others. You use this to describe someone who is easy to talk to and acts like a friend.

For teachers: behaving in a kind and pleasant way; showing or expressing goodwill and amity.

## Examples

- The staff at the hotel are very friendly.
- She gave me a friendly smile and offered to help me find my way to the station.
- Despite the competitive nature of the industry, the two rival CEOs maintained a friendly relationship, often meeting for lunch to discuss shared challenges.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He smiled friendly at me" but "He smiled in a friendly way at me" — Friendly is an adjective, not an adverb; it cannot modify a verb directly despite ending in -ly.

## Usage notes

- Commonly followed by the preposition 'to' or 'with' when describing relationships.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.