fraternize

F4R1A1T1E1R1N1I1Z10E1
UK/ˈfɹætənaɪz/US/ˈfɹætɚnaɪz/

verb

To associate with others in a brotherly or friendly manner.

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Meanings

verbfraternize (third-person singular simple present fraternizes, present participle fraternizing, simple past and past participle fraternized)

present singular third person fraternizes · participle present fraternizing · participle past fraternized · past fraternized · alternative fraternise

  1. intransitiveTo associate with others in a brotherly or friendly manner.
  2. intransitiveTo associate as friends with an enemy, in violation of duty.
    1 more example

    Now in this world it is never wise to meddle with such things. It's better to leave them as they are. No one ever had any good come to him from fraternizing with too great familiarity with the unknown; and it's a very good thing that the children from The Other Side are as shy as they are, as Alice found out through Evelyn Dearie.

    1920, Mary Heaton Vorse, Growing Up
  3. intransitiveTo socialize in confidentiality.
  4. intransitiveTo have an intimate or sexual relationship with a forbidden party.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbbe on friendly terms with someone, as if with a brother, especially with an enemy

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Also see

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Frenchfraterniser
  2. Englishfraternize

PIE word *bʰréh₂tēr From French fraterniser.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian побратимявам се
  • побратимявам се (pobratimjavam se)to associate with others in a brotherly manner
Catalan fraternitzar
  • fraternitzarto associate with others in a brotherly manner
Esperanto interfratiĝi
  • interfratiĝito associate with others in a brotherly manner
Finnish veljeillä, veljeillä
  • veljeilläto associate with others in a brotherly manner
  • veljeilläto associate as friends with an enemy
French fraterniser, fraterniser
  • fraterniserto associate with others in a brotherly manner
  • fraterniserto associate as friends with an enemy
German sich verbrüdern, fraternisieren
  • sich verbrüdernto associate with others in a brotherly manner
  • fraternisierento associate as friends with an enemy
Māori whakauruuru
  • whakauruuruto associate with others in a brotherly manner
Polish bratać się, zbratać się
  • bratać sięto associate with others in a brotherly manner
  • zbratać sięto associate with others in a brotherly manner
Romanian fraterniza, înfrăți
  • fraternizato associate with others in a brotherly manner
  • înfrățito associate with others in a brotherly manner
Russian брататься
  • брататься (bratatʹsja)to associate with others in a brotherly manner
Spanish fraternizar
  • fraternizarto associate with others in a brotherly manner
Swedish förbrödra, fraternisera
  • förbrödrato associate with others in a brotherly manner
  • fraterniserato associate as friends with an enemy
Cite this entry
APA

fraternize. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fraternize

MLA

“fraternize.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fraternize. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fraternize,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fraternize.

Source: fraternize on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.