A friend can be good, or bad, and even in between; however, that’s not enough to describe them or the friendship you share.
The words to describe a friend that you need to use should be well-thought out in order to convey your message; You want to find the best message when telling someone about them in-person or over the phone.
In this post, we’ll split how to talk about a friend into four different categories, and we’ll give you 25 of the best words to describe a friend. Let’s get started:
Nine words to describe a best friend
Good friends are like pocket money, but a best friend is like gold! Here are nine of our favorite words to describe a friend – you can use them to talk about a best friend:
01Consistent
Having consistency in your life and in relationships is very important. A consistent friend is someone who is always there for you, and you can always depend on him/her for whatever may arise.
He/she will never abandon you, especially when you need him/her the most.
Here’s how you can use this word, along with some other words to describe a friend:
E.g. “I know Mark will always have my back because he has been consistent throughout our friendship.”
Photo by Erika on photo-ac
02Hilarious
Hilarious is a great word to use to describe a friend who is always cracking jokes and poking fun at situations.
It is good when you can laugh with your best friend, and it’s as if there’s never a dull moment when you’re together.
E.g. “Have you met Ryan? That dude is hilarious!”
03Kind
When you describe a best friend as someone who is kind, it simply means that he/she has a good heart.
He/she cares about others, and he/she does things from the heart to help others in any way possible. It may be physically and emotionally.
E.g. “Jacob has always been so kind to me, even when I got bullied for being different. That’s why he’s my best man today.”
Image from Pixabay under pexels license
04Kooky
Kooky is a word you can use to describe a best friend who is a bit of a goof. It means that he/she doesn’t take himself/herself too seriously; likely, this person is fun to be around.
E.g. “People say Anna is weird, but I love how kooky she is.”
05Loving
Loving is one of the best words to describe a friend who wears his/her heart on the sleeve and spreads love to others. This means that he/she is caring, gentle, and kind.
E.g. “Tina reminds me of my own mother. Her loving, nurturing spirit always comforts me when I am down.”
06Loyal
Loyalty is a thing that unfortunately many people do not experience today. This is a good word to use to describe a friend who sticks up for you. A loyal friend always has your back.
It is also good to use with a friend who has proven time and time again that he/she is on your side.
E.g. “You know what I love the most about Bryan? I love how loyal he is to me and the rest of our friends!”
Photo by Simon Maage on unsplash
07Patient
Patience is very important in friendship because people will and can test your limits.
Saying your best friend is patient simply means that he/she does not get angry or frustrated easily, especially when times get rough.
Instead, he/she maintains a clear mind and conscience. This person does not act based on extreme emotions.
E.g. “I’m just glad that my best friend is as patient as she is because I’m certainly a handful.”
Trust plays a huge role in the success of any relationship, especially when it comes to a best friend. Best friends share everything, including their hopes, dreams, fears, and even their darkest secrets.
This is a good word to use if your friend is someone in whom you can always confide, and you can do this without fear of him/her betraying your trust.
Here’s how you can use this word to describe your best friend:
E.g. “I have no walls up when it comes to Gregory. He’s the most trustworthy guy you’ll ever come across!”
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on unsplash
09Understanding
The word understanding speaks to a person who is sympathetic because he/she is able to understand the problems of others well.
This type of friend will show his/her understanding through actions, and he/she will listen more than speak.
E.g. “I can go to Madge about anything because she isn’t judgmental, and she is understanding of my plights.”
How to describe a friend who is good/great
A friend doesn’t have to be considered your best friend in the whole wide world for him/her to be considered a good or even great friend.
Use any of these eight words to describe a friend that is good/great:
10Considerate
You can use considerate to describe a friend who bears others in mind at all times, especially when he/she says or does anything.
He/she is not selfish, and he/she will always be empathetic towards others or their situation.
This is one way to use this word to describe a friend that is good/great:
E.g. “I think everyone would agree when I say Carol is the most considerate person that I’ve ever met. That girl does not have a single selfish bone in her body!”
Photo by Sammie Vasquez on unsplash
11Compassionate
It is good to use the word compassionate to describe a friend who shows great concern and sympathy for others.
his friend does not harden his/her heart to the issues of others, and this person is likely going to work with others to come up with reasonable solutions.
This is how you can use it to describe your friend:
E.g. “Lola is the most compassionate chick whom you’ll ever come across. She has a long history of lending a helping hand to those who are in need.”
12Convivial
Now, this probably isn’t a word that you use in everyday life, but you can pull it out at events when introducing your friend to others because it is able to show him/her in a good light.
It means that your friend is super friendly, and he/she is always often in a good mood.
E.g. “You haven’t met Jack? Everyone knows him for being convivial. He’s a real party animal too!”
A diplomatic person is someone who is never the center of the drama. He/she finds a way to resolve the problem peacefully so that all parties involved can be content.
He/she also tries to see both sides of an argument, and he/she will not show bias when there is a disagreement.
Here’s how you can use this as one of your words to describe a friend:
E.g. “We butt heads a lot in our friend group, but Matt is the diplomatic one because he ensures that no one ever crosses a line.”
Photo by Phil Coffman on unsplash
14Funny
It is good to describe a friend as funny if he/she is always trying to make others laugh, and he/she finds humor in most things. He/she is likely the clown of your friend group and makes life more enjoyable.
E.g. “Man, Kody needs to become a comic! That guy is very funny!”
15Honest
Honest is a good word to describe a friend who will tell you the truth when others may not. This doesn’t mean that he/she is out to hurt your feelings; it just means that he/she wants the best for you.
E.g. “I keep Vernon in my circle because he’s an honest guy”
16Optimistic
This is a good word to use for friends who are always trying to look at the bright side of any situation. This is good because they can help keep you happy while helping you focus on what matters in life.
E.g. “I love how optimistic Leighanne is. Without her, I would have had a full-on meltdown by now.”
Photo by Ketut Subiyanto under pexels license
17Sincere
A sincere friend does not hold back when it comes to what he/she thinks or feels. This does not mean he/she is rude or blunt. It just means that things are said and done from a genuine place.
E.g. “I never have to wonder if Frank is being real with me because he always comes off so sincere.”
For a friend who is not great
A bad friend should not even be considered a friend because that person likely adds nothing good to your life. Here are five words to describe a “friend” who is not great at being a friend:
18Envious
An envious “friend” is someone who gets jealous about your achievements. He/she will say bad things to discredit your achievements in order to make you feel bad about it.
This type of “friend” may also try to lower your self-esteem or the self-esteem of others.
“Billy is so negative all of the time. Every time it’s about me, he becomes envious and shuts it down.”
Photo by Polina Zimmerman under pexels license
19Hypocritical
A “friend” who is hypocritical is someone who says one thing but does another.
He/she is biased and behaves as though he/she has great morals. However, he/she does not and often, he/she ends up contradicting him/herself.
E.g. “Tony is the fakest, most hypocritical friend I’ve ever had. I’m glad I cut him off.”
Photo by Batu Gezer on unsplash
20Stand-offish
This is a word to describe someone who is distant, cold, and unapproachable.
These types of people do not interact with others often, and sometimes, they can give off an air of superiority. They drain the fun from the group, and they can make things awkward or difficult for others.
E.g. “I could never introduce Gabriel to the rest of my friends. He’s so standoffish and an immediate buzzkill.”
21Selfish
A selfish friend is someone who only thinks of him/herself and completely disregards others. Anything done by this person is for personal gain or profit, and he/she will do anything to better things for himself/herself.
E.g. “We were close, once upon a time; however, when I realized how selfish he was, I stopped considering him a friend.”
This is a good word to use to describe a friend who is more concerned about his/her appearance than anything or anyone else.
This makes him/her blind to the concerns or advice of others, and he/she thinks that he/she is always right in an argument.
This is one way to use this word to describe a bad friend:
E.g. “Can Shebly be anymore vain and self-absorbed? One day, she will learn that there’s more to life than material things.”
Photo by Heather Christie under pexels license
Three words to describe a fair-weather friend
A fair-weather friend is someone who is only there when things are going well for you.
If you are ever in trouble or need assistance, he/she is nowhere to be found. Here are three words to describe a friend like this:
23Cool
This is a good word to describe a fair-weather friend because it shows that you don’t think much of this person; it also may show that you’re not very close.
It means he/she is just “ok,” and you have nothing better to say about him/her.
E.g. “Oh, Greg? I mean, yeah, he’s cool. I’ve only just met him.”
24Forgetful
A forgetful friend is someone who never remembers much, especially the things that matter to you.
He/she will not check up on you, and he/she will not consider your feelings or thoughts; this is simply because you are not that important to him/her.
E.g. “I’m not too fond of Yolanda. She’s so forgetful and self-absorbed.”
Photo by Eric T. on unsplash
25Unreliable
Unreliable is a good word to describe a friend on whom you simply cannot count.
When you need him/her, he/she is simply not there or gives less than the minimum effort. He/she may have already failed you or showed no sign of changing.
E.g. “Darren is not a horrible friend, but he’s not the best either. He’s too unreliable.”
Lastly
There are tons of words to describe a friend, but we handpicked the best 25 words to describe a friend just for you!
No need to thank us, you can just make sure that you use these words appropriately with good/bad friends!
