companionship

companionship — noun

1. A warm, pleasant feeling people get from being with someone they like and trust.

1.nounB1
Definition

A warm, pleasant feeling people get from being with someone they like and trust.

Example

Moving to a new city, Leila missed the companionship of close friends.

collocation: companionship + of + [person/group]

The Watanabe family found warm companionship in weekly dinners with their neighbors.

collocation: find + companionship + in [activity]

Synonyms
  • company

    the most common and general term; simply refers to being with someone

  • fellowship

    more formal, often used in religious or organizational settings

  • camaraderie

    suggests mutual trust and goodwill among people who share experiences

  • friendship

    implies a deeper emotional bond than companionship

Antonyms
  • loneliness

    the sad feeling of being alone when you want company

  • isolation

    being separated from others, often against one's will

  • solitude

    being alone by choice — not necessarily negative

Usage Note

Typically uncountable — not used with 'a' or 'an'. Often followed by 'of' to specify who provides the company (e.g., 'the companionship of good friends').

Common Mistakes

I need a companionship.
I need companionship.
'Companionship' is uncountable and does not take the indefinite article.

Word family

  • companion
    nounB1
  • companionable
    adjectiveC1
  • uncompanionable
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Company is the most general and common word — it simply means being with another person. Fellowship adds a sense of shared purpose or belonging, often used in religious or community contexts. Camaraderie implies a cheerful, trusting bond among people who share experiences, such as teammates or coworkers. Companionship, by contrast, emphasizes the emotional warmth and comfort of being with someone you like, not just the physical presence. You might enjoy the company of strangers at a bus stop but not feel companionship with them. A team has camaraderie after winning a championship; close friends share companionship through life's ups and downs.

company ↗fellowship ↗camaraderie

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • provide companionship
  • find companionship in
  • enjoy the companionship of
  • miss the companionship of

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Comes from the Latin 'companionem' (com- 'together' + panis 'bread'), meaning 'one who shares bread with another.' The word passed through French into English as 'companion,' and the suffix '-ship' was added to form the noun meaning the state or feeling of being a companion.