MATES Synonyms: 167 Similar and Opposite Words

mates 1 of 2

noun

plural of mate

as in halves

either of a pair matched in one or more qualities have you seen the mate to this glove anywhere?

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in associates

a person frequently seen in the company of another that lout and his mates are known troublemakers in the neighborhood

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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

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as in partners

the person to whom another is married they vowed to each other that they would remain mates for life

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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mates

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of mate

as in sleeps

to engage in sexual intercourse cats conceive almost every time they mate

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of mates

Noun

And that team not only matched the Rams but seemed a step ahead on defense against Stafford and his mates who made too many mistakes. — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026 Once again, the goalkeeper has the presence of mind to clip the ball into the chest of Jackson, who has the opportunity to start a quick attack by bringing the ball down into the path of onrushing team-mates. — Thom Harris, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2026 Fall is already an active season for many spiders, when adults become more visible, and some species search for mates. — Tricia Goss, Southern Living, 7 Oct. 2026 Once confined to the Southeast, lone star ticks spread from Maine to Oklahoma in recent years as the climate warmed and as a decline in hunting led to an explosive growth in the number of whitetail deer, where lone stars find mates and breed. — Bob Drogin, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026 During the mating season, males gather in choruses and call to attract mates. — Claire Therese Hemingway, The Conversation, 1 Oct. 2026 The bears, which are normally solitary creatures, can be picky when choosing mates, and females are only in heat for one to three days each year. — Eduardo Cuevas, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026

Verb

In addition to that, the company’s next car, the Tourbillon, will be its first to feature the company’s new hybrid powertrain, which mates a three-foot-long, naturally aspirated V-16 with a trio of electric motors. — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 17 July 2026 His rotation mates Jameson Taillon (20) and Shota Imanaga (17) have given up the most in the majors. — Andy Martinez, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026 The centre-forward is increasingly aware of these situations, positioning himself correctly or attacking the right space to offer his team-mates an option when City are attacking the wide areas. — Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mates

Noun

Roast halves cut side down rather than boiling them, since roasting concentrates the sugars and cuts moisture.

— Lauren Schuster, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026
The exhibition, which opened Sunday in East Hollywood, aims to unify both halves of his work.

— Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of halves

Noun

But if firms lean on AI to cut lower-level work, the risk is destroying the very avenue of apprenticeship that produces future senior associates and managers.

— Tim Brackney, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
More recently, a ProPublica investigation revealed that the FBI had scrutinized dealings between Collins, her associates, and a major donor who ran a defense-contracting firm.

— Emma Specter, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of associates

Noun

Buying Riley out of his deal would mean forking over upwards of $70 million, plus more for his assistants.

— Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
Office assistants and teachers were dealing with angry parents, while the volleyball coaching staff tried to prepare for league playoffs while fielding complex questions about federal equality laws from teenagers.

— Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of assistants

Noun

Additionally, partners need to have a clear understanding of how the innovator, supply chain and brand will share the risks associated with adopting a new technology.

— Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026
Netanyahu’s hard-right coalition partners frequently call for the West Bank’s annexation and the dissolution of the Palestinian Authority in the territory.

— Gerry Shih, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of partners

Noun

Lubelo has also persuaded several friends to join the school, becoming something of an ambassador in a community where magic is often frowned upon and associated with witchcraft.

— Julie Bourdin, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
The series interviews two of Perry’s closest friends — industry pal Kevin Pollak, and his sister Mia Perry Bowick, who eventually became a therapist well-versed in addiction in large part because of her big brother’s struggle.

— Bethy Squires, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of friends

Noun

Yes, Googlebooks are fine companions to your Android phone, but that's about where their value proposition stops.

— Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
Some users who had developed emotional attachments complained that their AI companions suddenly felt different.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of companions

Noun

In practice, that means juniors sitting in on meetings to watch colleagues interrogate the numbers, being present when real decisions get made, and gaining experience in different departments.

— Sam Birchall, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
The letter also urges scrutiny of her staff, donors, and colleagues.

— Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of colleagues

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maters

mates

matey

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Style

“Mates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mates. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of mates

noun

verb

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