boyfriend

noun

boy·​friend ˈbȯi-ˌfrend 

1

: a frequent or regular male companion in a romantic or sexual relationship

2

usually boy friend dated : a friend who is a boy

often, specifically : a male friend from childhood

… was a boy friend of [Abraham] Lincoln in Kentucky …

—Joseph Medill, quoted in McClure's Magazine

Synonyms of boyfriend

• beau
• boy
• husband

Examples of boyfriend in a Sentence

My boyfriend and I have only been dating for a couple of months.

her boyfriend always brings her flowers for Valentine's Day

Recent Examples on the Web

Audiences unaware that Altman is gay might pick up on subtle hints in Garfield’s performance, before Musk jokes about it during a dinner scene or a boyfriend is finally seen well into the film. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026

After her leftist boyfriend moved away to pursue union organizing, Livia suffered a series of tragedies that led her to drop out of college and return to her hometown. — Sam Worley, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026

Rachel Chu is an economics professor from a single-mother household who gets on a plane to a wedding in Singapore without being told that her boyfriend’s family owns a meaningful percentage of the country. — Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026

The layoffs meant no work for her, her boyfriend and her mother — and the words in small print almost seemed prophetic. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for boyfriend

• amend
• append
• ascend
• attend
• backend
• befriend
• commend
• compend
• contend
• defend
• depend
• descend

Kids Definition

boyfriend

noun

boy·​friend ˈbȯi-ˌfrend 

1

: a male friend

2

: a frequent or regular male companion in a romantic relationship