Meaning & use
fellow friends
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Meanings
phraseplural
people who are your friends and who share the same situation, group, or activity as you
Grammar: Used as a plural noun phrase; it usually appears after a possessive or in a group context, e.g. 'my fellow friends'.
Patterns
- someone's fellow friends
- fellow friends in something
She thanked her fellow friends for supporting her during the difficult year.
The volunteers became fellow friends after working together on the project.
He looked around at his fellow friends and knew they would help.
phrasepluralold-fashionedhumorous
a slightly old-fashioned or humorous way to address a group of friends together
Grammar: Used mainly in speech or writing that wants a warm, old-fashioned tone; not common in modern conversation.
Patterns
- my fellow friends
Well, my fellow friends, let us begin the meeting.
Come in, fellow friends, and warm yourselves by the fire.
Common combinations
- my fellow friends
- My fellow friends and I decided to start a book club.
- fellow friends in need
- They helped their fellow friends in need without hesitation.
- a group of fellow friends
- A group of fellow friends gathered to celebrate her birthday.
- fellow friends and colleagues
- He thanked his fellow friends and colleagues for their hard work.
Synonyms and how they differ
- companions
- More formal and often suggests people who travel or spend time together, not necessarily close friends.
- peers
- Focuses on people of the same age, status, or ability, not on friendship itself.
- comrades
- Suggests a strong shared purpose, often political or military, and sounds more serious than 'fellow friends'.
Opposites
Word family
- fellow adjective
- sharing the same situation or group, as in 'fellow students'
- fellowship noun
- friendly association or a group of people who share an interest
Commonly confused: fellow friends or fellow travelers?
fellow friends vs fellow travelers
This means people traveling together or, historically, people who sympathize with a political movement. It does not mean friends.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'fellow friends' most naturally?
Choose one answer.
'Fellow friends' is a plural phrase, so it fits with a plural verb or after a possessive. Option 1 uses it correctly as the object of 'met'. Option 2 has a singular verb, option 3 uses 'a' with a plural, and option 4 uses 'fellow friends' as a singular complement.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “fellow friends”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.