1
as in halves
either of a pair matched in one or more qualities
have you seen the mate to this glove anywhere?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in associates
a person frequently seen in the company of another
that lout and his mates are known troublemakers in the neighborhood
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in assistants
chiefly British
a person who helps a more skilled person
a plumber and his mate showed up to fix the sink in our London hotel room
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in partners
the person to whom another is married
they vowed to each other that they would remain mates for life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in friends
chiefly British
a person who has a strong liking for and trust in another
spent the weekend in London with some of his mates from Oxford
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sleeps
to engage in sexual intercourse
cats conceive almost every time they mate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of mates
Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
Woltemade’s team-mates have been taken by his demeanour, which is not to take himself too seriously.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
That includes the things most important to them, like the professional endeavors of possible mates.
—Essence, 15 Sep. 2025
These structures may have allowed the animals to produce deep, booming calls, warning others of predators, keeping herds together, or attracting mates.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 14 Sep. 2025
But when Joe gets pulled away by his old search-and-rescue squad mates, Slightly has to improvise and take advantage of the chaos in the lab caused by the eyeball, locking poor Arthur — one of the few adults on the island putting the Lost Boys’ safety above all else — inside to get his face hugged.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025
Birds of prey, including eagles, hawks, owls, and falcons, circle overhead, while bison gather to compete for mates (around August) or to calve (which usually takes place in April).
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025
In ancient humans and other primates, reputational damage can bar access to food and mates, incite physical confrontations and, in extreme cases, lead to potentially fatal ostracism.
—Clarissa Brincat, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2025
Noun
Our unbelievable crew, my incredible cast mates, led by the incomparable Hannah Einbinder.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
Woltemade’s team-mates have been taken by his demeanour, which is not to take himself too seriously.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
That includes the things most important to them, like the professional endeavors of possible mates.
—Essence, 15 Sep. 2025
These structures may have allowed the animals to produce deep, booming calls, warning others of predators, keeping herds together, or attracting mates.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 14 Sep. 2025
But when Joe gets pulled away by his old search-and-rescue squad mates, Slightly has to improvise and take advantage of the chaos in the lab caused by the eyeball, locking poor Arthur — one of the few adults on the island putting the Lost Boys’ safety above all else — inside to get his face hugged.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025
Birds of prey, including eagles, hawks, owls, and falcons, circle overhead, while bison gather to compete for mates (around August) or to calve (which usually takes place in April).
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025
In ancient humans and other primates, reputational damage can bar access to food and mates, incite physical confrontations and, in extreme cases, lead to potentially fatal ostracism.
—Clarissa Brincat, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mates
Noun
-
There will be five players on the field for each team, playing two 20-minute halves.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Zaslav has spoken repeatedly about the need for consolidation in the industry, and some observers have speculated that the two halves of WBD, once split in 2026, would seek to be buyers, rather than sellers.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Graduate students Brian Elder and Jared Anklam, postdoctoral associates Jian Teng and Saebom Lee, and other collaborators contributed to the research.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Added the cartel to its Public Registry of Persons and Entities Linked to Terrorism, enabling judicial and financial actions against associates.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Among his assistants was a young Karl Lagerfeld, who stayed for three years before leaving to lead Jean Patou in 1958.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Google Maps, drone deliveries, Alexas, and AI personal assistants are reengineering our relationships with one another and to the wider landscape.—
Paul Kingsnorth,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Betting/odds, ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic.—
Data Skrive,
New York Times,
21 Sep. 2025
-
Since beginning local productions nearly a decade ago, Netflix has partnered with over 250 local production partners across the APAC region.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
20 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Many live in complex social groups, communicate in different dialects, pass on culture through generations, engage in play and even grieve the loss of family and friends as was the case here.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Some Wordlers also play Competitive Wordle against friends, family, the Wordle Bot or even against me, your humble narrator.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
By now, Moore, of Wisconsin, is accustomed to working while Miller sleeps either on her lap, laying over her shoulder, or cuddled up with a blanket.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Visitors hoping to avoid the area’s many generic chain hotels should consider the Cedar Haven Lodge, a native western cedar log cabin that sleeps 8–12 and features a balcony looking out over the creek and mesas.—
Nicholas DeRenzo,
AFAR Media,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Dogs have come to be man’s closest companions, but their story begins in the wild.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Golden retrievers, while intelligent and eager to please, are more commonly found retrieving game, assisting as service animals, or acting as family companions.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Explore Internal Opportunities Before looking externally, investigate what colleagues in other departments or roles are doing that sparks your interest.—
Kara Dennison,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Below, his colleagues offer first-person testimonials of that experience.—
Joe Lynch,
Billboard,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mates. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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