Making friends is one of the most essential aspects of life. Though there are family members to support at every point of life, the need for friends and best friends cannot be undermined.
A successful friendship is the result of mutual understanding and an equal contribution from both sides, be it material or immaterial as per the circumstances. Still, people consider it important to make best friends even in the presence of other friends.
Key Takeaways
- A friend is someone you enjoy spending time with and have a mutual connection with, while a best friend is someone you trust and rely on for emotional support and advice.
- Friendships can come and go, while a best friend stays with you through thick and thin.
- Best friends often share common interests and experiences and have a deep understanding of each other.
Friend vs Best Friend
The difference between a friend and a best friend is that the former is not as close to the person as the latter. This implies that though each friend is important, a best friend is held in high spirits throughout life. While friends might change as per needs, a best friend remains constant in most cases.
Basically, a normal friend can be considered a weak-rooted tree that might stumble upon when the weather gets rough. Though a friend might not live up to the set standards each time, making friends from time to time helps a person socialize in an easier way.
All friends might not be alike in terms of personality and wisdom.
A similar analogy can be drawn in this case as well – a best friend is like that strong-rooted tree that goes through the storm and emerges out to be stronger than before.
All best friends might not be equally essential, but it is a common notion to keep the best friend circle small. This is because almost everything is shared.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Friend | Best Friend |
|---|---|---|
| Complimentary Relation | Friends focus on impressing each other, even if they have to give false compliments. | A best friend compliments for the betterment and even refrains from doing so if there is no need. |
| Average Number | There can be numerous friends, based on introversion or extroversion. | Best friends are limited in number – most people prefer to have just one best friend for a longer duration. |
| Qualities | Might stay only in good times. | Remains constant irrespective of how good or bad the situation is. |
| Intensity of Bond | Not as strong as that of best friend – mediocre establishment in most cases. | The strength of the bond between two (or more) best friends is ultimate. |
| Effect of Conflict | Friendship weakens. | Friendship strengthens. |
What is Friend?
A friend is someone who might stand by in happy moments but leave in case anything goes against expectations. Above all, a friend is a normal person who enters into a relationship and maintains it through thick and thin.
All the general people are not friends but mere acquaintances who are regarded as important.
In case this friend fails the test of patience and hardships, the difference remains constant with that of best friends. It is true that a friend in need is a friend indeed. Therefore, in most cases, people rely on friends in hard times.
It is believed that friendships are not strengthened by time but by the strength of the bond between the two people.
Having a lot of friends is a bit difficult for introverts. In such a case, there is no demarcation between a friend and a best friend. On the other hand, friendships are limitless between extroverts.
The art of making friends is mastered as a result of practicing the courteous values of sharing and caring. Helping one’s colleagues and/or classmates in need might also help in making friends.
What is Best Friend?
A best friend is someone who is held quite dear and considered to be “special” than the other general friends. They have some supernatural qualities which make them so special – they lead to the overall development as they point out the wrongs, and they even scold in case something is not right.
A best friend might feel like family in the long run, due to the deep understanding and the promises made for the betterment of each other.
Once a best friend is identified, all other friends are considered to be important in their respective life functions but not as significant as the best friend. This implies that in an imaginary friendship hierarchical setup, a best friend occupies the top spot.
That being said, people might feel safe in sharing even the deepest secrets and personal opinions with their best friends.
Maintaining a friendship with a best friend is comparatively easier. Regular communication is not necessary in most cases as both parties understand the time constraints as well.
As far as the fate of best friends is concerned, some unresolved issues might result in the weakening of the bond, which ultimately leads to the end of the friendship.
Main Differences Between Friend And Best Friend
- As far as giving compliments is concerned, a friend might focus on flattering while the best friend will only compliment when necessary. In the latter case, there is no formality or compulsion to sound pleasing to the other person.
- The numerical value does not matter in the case of best friends as most people wish to keep the best friend circle limited. Friends can be many but best friends are mostly limited to one or two only.
- The qualities of a friend might only be beneficial in times when life situations are going on well, but best friends do not discriminate on the basis of good or bad.
- The bonding between two friends might get severely affected if any hardships arise in life. On the other hand, the roots of best friends get surprisingly strengthened when they stand by each other in tough times as well.
- In case of conflicts or situations which do not favor the friendship, a friend might think about ending the friendship because of mismatching opinions regarding the issue at hand. Best friends focus on the conflict at hand and always try to resolve issues instead of finding faults in each other.
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/1520-6807(198010)17:4%3C536::AID-PITS2310170420%3E3.0.CO;2-I
- https://search.proquest.com/openview/f846192400767298c35b3a0572415f7e/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=1819511
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
