Guide 204 / 366 5 swaps Formal register
Professional words for “friend”
Five register-tuned alternatives for "friend."
i · When it mattersTwo lines, no filler
"Friend" is the all-purpose word. Use the swaps when the register or specificity helps — colleagues differ from confidants; ally is strategic; mate is regional.
ii · The swaps5 ways
- 01Colleague formal
work context
My colleague reviewed the PR.
- 02Confidant formal
someone you trust deeply
She was his closest confidant.
- 03Companion neutral
someone you do things with
A travel companion for two weeks.
- 04Ally formal
shared-interest, strategic
A trusted ally on the steering committee.
- 05Mate informal
UK/AU casual
Catching up with a mate from school.