Basic Details
Word: Friendless
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Having no friends.
Synonyms: lonely, alone, isolated
Antonyms: popular, well-liked
How to Spell Friendless
Syllables: friend - less
Tricky part: Friend has i before e, which students often reverse (freind). The suffix less ends in a double s.
Watch out for: freindless, frendless, friendles
Memory tip: A friend is your friend to the end: friend finishes with end, and friendless just adds less.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The new boy felt friendless during his first week at the boarding school.
Example 2: In the story, a friendless dragon finally finds a companion in a lost goat.
Example 3: No one who is kind stays friendless for long.
Fun Fact
Friend comes from an Old English word meaning loving or one who loves. It is related to the word free, which first described people who were dear to the head of a household rather than slaves.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Makeup
Only one of these words takes the suffix -less to make a real word. Choose it:
-less
a) polite
b) clever
c) friend
d) happy
Show answer
c) friend. Less is added to nouns, and friend is the only noun here; the other three are already adjectives.
Spell-o-Spell
Three of these words are spelt correctly and one is misspelt. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word:
1. freindless 2. ruthless 3. reckless 4. relentless
a) having no friends
b) cruel and without pity
c) not caring about danger
d) not stopping or getting weaker
Show answer
a) having no friends. Friend is spelt i then e, so freindless is the misspelt word.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word friendless as used in the sentence:
After moving to a new city, Kabir felt friendless and spent his evenings alone.
a) lonely
b) alone
c) isolated
d) popular
Show answer
d) popular. Someone friendless has nobody; a popular person has plenty of friends.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Someone who feels friendless is most likely to feel ____.
a) greedy
b) proud
c) lonely
d) lucky
Show answer
c) lonely
2. Which of these words is formed in the same way as friendless?
a) bless
b) unless
c) homeless
d) lesson
Show answer
c) homeless
