Meaning & use
brothers
Last updated
“brothers” is a form of “brother”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounplural
Two or more boys or men who share the same parents.
Grammar: Plural of 'brother'; use it with plural verbs, as in 'My brothers are here.'
Patterns
- someone's brothers
- the brothers Smith
Her two brothers both play football on Saturdays.
The brothers grew up in a small town near the coast.
My older brothers taught me how to ride a bike.
nounplural
Men who are united by a shared purpose, religion, or membership.
Grammar: Often used with 'in' to name the shared bond: brothers in arms.
Patterns
- brothers in arms
- brothers in Christ
The soldiers called each other brothers in arms.
The monks greeted one another as brothers.
They became brothers through their shared work for the community.
Common combinations
- brothers and sisters
- All the brothers and sisters came home for the holiday.
- big brothers
- His big brothers looked after him at school.
- brothers in arms
- The veterans met every year as brothers in arms.
- twin brothers
- The twin brothers wore matching jackets.
Synonyms and how they differ
- siblings
- A general word for brothers and sisters together; 'brothers' names only the male ones.
Opposites
Word family
- brother noun
- One male sibling.
- brotherly adjective
- Showing the kind, protective feeling a brother may have.
- brotherhood noun
- The bond or group formed by brothers or by men with a shared aim.
Commonly confused: brothers or brethren?
brothers vs brethren
An old or religious plural of 'brother'; use 'brothers' in everyday speech.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
'Brothers' is plural, so it takes 'are'. Option A uses a singular verb, and option C uses a singular noun with a plural verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “brothers”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.