Whereas now, as I near the end of my fourth decade, I realize work can be fully functional and entirely fulfilling without needing to be best mates with the people sitting next to you.
2019年6月六级真题(第三套)阅读 Section C
柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典释义
N-COUNT
伙伴,朋友(尤指男性之间)
You can refer to someone's friends as their mates, especially when you are talking about a man and his male friends.