You can call all of them as family. Because you can also call your friends that is very close to you with kinship terms like "brother","sister" etc. It is not a true kinship but it is called fictive kinship.
Also, kinfolk (and folks) is used in this sense:
The people you hold the closest in life, or are related to.
As a phrase, there is kith and kin:
friends and relatives; people known to someone.
Also, kith itself means everyone you know but usually used in the above phrase.
familiar friends, neighbors, or relatives
Sources: Urban Dictionary, The Free Dictionary, and Merriam-Webster
Answer from ermanen on Stack ExchangeKidSmart
kidsmartapp.co.uk › home › adjectives › 127 excellent friendship words to describe your friends
127 Excellent Friendship Words to Describe Your Friends
May 9, 2022 - Try our interactive list of words to describe friends and friendship. amiable – People with easy-going personalities that make it easy for others to like them and deal with. “Fanny was in an amiable mood today at the office.” · amicable – Friendly and peaceable. Does not involve conflict. “The relationship between Laurel and Lily was not amicable.” · affectionate – An expression of fondness. Having warm regard, feelings for someone or something.
Power Thesaurus
powerthesaurus.org › special_friend
SPECIAL FRIEND in Thesaurus: All Synonyms & Antonyms
best friend · particular supporter · special companion · personal friend · close friend · good friend · great friend · particular companion · specific friend · special brother · dear friend · best mate · best buddy · bosom friend ...
expressions - What's a noun for the group of people who you're very close to, such as family, friends, relatives, and significant others? - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange
If I wanted to describe all of the people close to someone such as their close friends, family, relatives, and spouse/significant other, how would I do so with one noun? The simplest 'noun' that c... More on english.stackexchange.com
A word for a closer and stronger relationship than "friend"
comrade, brother, hetero-life-mate, brother-from-another-mother, fidus Achates, right-hand-man, companion, compadres, confidant More on reddit.com
32
18
April 5, 2019'my special friend' too offensive? | WordReference Forums
Sometimes the reason behind using ... with another person ... Thanks for the replies! Well, I guess this "special friend" was not such a good idea. Sorry about the example #4 - about the lady, maybe it was a bit confusing. It is not directly related to the other examples. Here I suppose the guy can get away with calling his wife simply 'darling'. About this word/expression ... More on forum.wordreference.com
Synonyms for my friend
pal. companion. homie. More on reddit.com
6
2
April 21, 2025Southern Living
southernliving.com › culture › nicknames-best-friends
130 Cute And Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends
July 29, 2025 - We collected a list of cute and funny nicknames to call your best friends. Let them know how much they mean to you by calling them something sweet.
Top answer 1 of 4
6
You can call all of them as family. Because you can also call your friends that is very close to you with kinship terms like "brother","sister" etc. It is not a true kinship but it is called fictive kinship.
Also, kinfolk (and folks) is used in this sense:
The people you hold the closest in life, or are related to.
As a phrase, there is kith and kin:
friends and relatives; people known to someone.
Also, kith itself means everyone you know but usually used in the above phrase.
familiar friends, neighbors, or relatives
Sources: Urban Dictionary, The Free Dictionary, and Merriam-Webster
2 of 4
4
loved ones
nearest and dearest
Merriam-Webster
merriam-webster.com › thesaurus › friends
FRIENDS Synonyms: 146 Similar and Opposite Words | Merriam-Webster Thesaurus
4 weeks ago - To save this word, you'll need to log in. ... as in buddies a person who has a strong liking for and trust in another really close friends who like to do everything together and are always sharing secrets
Cambridge Dictionary
dictionary.cambridge.org › thesaurus › friend
FRIEND - 93 Synonyms and Antonyms - Cambridge English
3 days ago - Someone who is friendly behaves in a kind and pleasant way towards others. A friendly place or feeling is one that makes you feel happy and comfortable. Cambridge English Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press ... These are words and phrases related to friend.
Thesaurus.com
thesaurus.com › browse › best-friend
18 Synonyms & Antonyms for BEST FRIEND | Thesaurus.com
1 week ago - Find 18 different ways to say BEST FRIEND, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com.
WordHippo
wordhippo.com › what-is › another-word-for › close_friend.html
What is another word for "close friend"?
Synonyms for close friend include friend, companion, intimate, confidante, confidant, familiar, shadow, playmate, playfellow and classmate. Find more similar words at wordhippo.com!
Cambridge Dictionary
dictionary.cambridge.org › us › thesaurus › close-friend
CLOSE FRIEND - 18 Synonyms and Antonyms - Cambridge English
4 days ago - These are words and phrases related to close friend. Click on any word or phrase to go to its thesaurus page. Or, go to the definition of close friend. ... Synonyms for close friend from Random House Roget's College Thesaurus, Revised and Updated Edition © 2000 Random House, Inc.
Top answer 1 of 5
20
"Lifelong friends" is about as far back as you can go because most people would understand that tiny babies don't really have "friends" so to say "lifelong", it's generally understood that as long as someone were capable of having/being a friend, they've been friends.
2 of 5
5
I am not a native speaker, but I've come across bosom friends to signify a thick friendship between people. Also bosom buddy.
One's close or closest friend; a friend one holds dear to one's heart
[The Free Dictionary]
Usage:
We have been bosom friends since we were toddlers.
Power Thesaurus
powerthesaurus.org › unique_friends › synonyms
UNIQUE FRIENDS Synonyms: 31 Similar Phrases
Find 31 synonyms for Unique Friends to improve your writing and expand your vocabulary.
Quora
quora.com › Whats-another-phrase-for-a-best-friend
What's another phrase for a best friend? - Quora
Answer (1 of 17): My parterre and crime my other half my buddy the salt in my pepper my main lady my man my my bro my pal my beastie mi amigo or amiga my companion my second self my number one my compadre my soul sister or brother my homeboy or girl my sidekick my homie my mate...
Greenlight
greenlight.com › learning-center › parenting-and-family › nicknames-for-friends
100 unique & funny nicknames for friends & besties
Do you have a nickname, or one for your kids, spouse, or other loved ones? Nicknames are often a sign of closeness and friendship. Whether it's for your child's new bestie or a long-standing family friend, picking a nickname can be a fun and bonding experience.
Pinterest
pinterest.com › pin › another-word-for-friend-30-friend-synonyms-you-should-be-using-love-english--58124651432962802
30 Friend Synonyms You Should Be Using - Love English
March 15, 2019 - Search for easy dinners, fashion, etc. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. ... As social creatures, we all have friends, but have you ever thought about the different words we use to describe our friends?
Reverso
dictionary.reverso.net › english-definition › special+friend
SPECIAL FRIEND - Definition & Meaning - Reverso English Dictionary
special friend definition: friend with a unique or significant role. Check meanings, examples, usage tips, pronunciation, domains, related words.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/whatstheword › a word for a closer and stronger relationship than "friend"
r/whatstheword on Reddit: A word for a closer and stronger relationship than "friend"
April 5, 2019 -
I'm trying to find a word for a relationship that's stronger and closer than "friend" would normally imply, but not something amorous.
Does anyone know of a word that might be suitable?
Power Thesaurus
powerthesaurus.org › special_friend › synonyms
SPECIAL FRIEND Synonyms: 151 Similar Words & Phrases
special confidant · noun · greatest friend · noun · strongest ally · noun · pretty good friend · noun · best bro · noun · nice friend · noun · best pal · noun · loveliest bestest friend · noun · soulmate · noun · closest friend ...
YourDictionary
yourdictionary.com › vocabulary › glossaries › words that describe a good friendship
Words That Describe a Good Friendship | YourDictionary
July 15, 2022 - When you think of how to describe your bestie, what words immediately come to mind? Explore adjectives to describe a friend for great ideas on how to talk about your BFF.
WordReference
forum.wordreference.com › english only › english only
'my special friend' too offensive? | WordReference Forums
December 4, 2008 - Here I suppose the guy can get away with calling his wife simply 'darling'. About this word/expression I'm trying to find: The original Russian word has rather broad meaning: next of kin, brotherly, soulmate, dear friend, darling, dear.
Merriam-Webster
merriam-webster.com › thesaurus › friend
FRIEND Synonyms: 145 Similar and Opposite Words | Merriam-Webster Thesaurus
4 weeks ago - Synonyms for FRIEND: buddy, colleague, confidant, pal, sister, brother, partner, comrade; Antonyms of FRIEND: enemy, foe, competitor, opponent, adversary, rival, antagonist, nemesis