English UsageGrammar guide

Friendly To: Standard Pattern

Friendly To: Standard Pattern records a directly documented English construction and keeps guidance bounded to the evidenced pattern rather than turning one attested complement into a universal prohibition.

Quick answer

Use “friendly to” for pleasant or kind behavior or attitude directed toward someone.

Key details

Confusion Familyusage-construction
Rule Familyadjective or complement construction
Termsfriendly to

Further guidance

Construction

Use “friendly to” for pleasant or kind behavior or attitude directed toward someone.

Style Boundary

Cambridge distinguishes “friendly to/towards” for behavior or attitude from “friendly with” for a friendly relationship; keep those senses separate.

Sources and evidence

Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.

  1. FRIENDLY | English meaning — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Direct Cambridge dictionary evidence for friendly with in the relationship sense and for alternative friendly to/towards patterns.

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