intimate
gb/ˈɪntɪmɪt/ us/ˈɪntɪmɪt/
B2
English
~ 9200
bensőséges, közeli, intim, személyes, testi, meghitt, beható, alapos, bizalmas, sugall, utal, sejtet, utal rá
B2
1
bensőséges
B2
közeli
A2
Usage pattern:
an intimate [relationship/friend/conversation] between [people]
They have been intimate friends since high school and still share everything with each other.
Középiskolás koruk óta közeli barátok, és ma is mindent megosztanak egymással.
Over the years, an intimate bond grew between the two colleagues.
Az évek során bensőséges kötelék alakult ki a két kolléga között.
She wrote an intimate letter to her sister, talking about her fears and hopes.
The documentary offers an intimate portrait of the artist and his closest relationships.
Learner examples
He is my most intimate friend.
Ő a legközelebbi barátom.
They have an intimate relationship and talk about everything.
Bensőséges kapcsolatban élnek, és mindenről beszélnek.
We had an intimate talk about our families.
Over time, the group became more intimate and trusted each other.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "intimate" only means "sexual". In many contexts, especially with "friend", "conversation", or "bond", it means emotionally very close, not necessarily sexual. Also do not confuse "intimate" with the verb "intimidate", which means to frighten or threaten someone.
Meaning
emotionally very close and personal
Collocations
intimate friend
|intimate relationship
|intimate partner
|intimate conversation
|become intimate
|remain intimate
Synonyms
close (More general and common; does not as strongly suggest sharing very private feelings.)
|
deep (Stresses seriousness and strength of the relationship rather than privacy.)
|
personal (Focuses on involving private feelings, but not always as emotionally warm as "intimate".)
Antonyms
distant (Describes relationships where people do not share much or feel emotionally close.)
|
formal (Suggests polite but not emotionally warm or personal relationships.)
Themes
relationships
|emotions
|daily life
Definition
Describes a very close relationship where people share deep feelings and personal things.
Describing a relationship or connection where people know each other very well and share personal feelings or experiences.
B2
2
Usage pattern:
intimate [details/questions/thoughts] about [someone]
The interviewer asked some very intimate questions about his childhood.
Az interjúztató néhány nagyon személyes kérdést tett fel a gyerekkoráról.
She refused to share intimate details of her divorce with the media.
Nem volt hajlandó megosztani a válásának intim részleteit a médiával.
His new book reveals intimate aspects of his life that few people knew.
Keeping a diary helped her express her most intimate thoughts in a safe place.
Learner examples
I do not want to talk about such intimate details.
Nem akarok ilyen intim részletekről beszélni.
He told me some intimate facts about his family.
Mesélt nekem néhány nagyon személyes dolgot a családjáról.
She wrote down her intimate thoughts in a notebook.
They asked intimate questions that made me uncomfortable.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this sense with the idea of being simply "friendly". When you say "intimate details" or "intimate questions", it means very private and sometimes sensitive, not just close.
Meaning
very private and personal
Collocations
intimate details
|intimate questions
|intimate thoughts
|intimate diary
|intimate portrait
|share intimate information
Synonyms
personal (Very close in meaning; often interchangeable, but "intimate" suggests even deeper privacy.)
|
private (Focuses more on not being public; may sound less emotional than "intimate".)
Antonyms
public (Refers to information that is open and available to everyone, not private.)
|
impersonal (Describes things that are not connected to someone’s private life or feelings.)
Themes
privacy
|emotions
|daily life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Describes details or things about a person that are very private and not for everyone to know.
Describing information, details, or situations that are about someone's private life and not meant to be shared widely.
B2
3
Usage pattern:
[people] are intimate with [each other]
They became intimate after dating for several months.
Több hónapnyi együttjárás után szexuális kapcsolatba kerültek.
The film includes several intimate scenes between the two main characters.
A film több intim jelenetet is tartalmaz a két főszereplő között.
He did not want to discuss the intimate side of their marriage in public.
The charity provides support to people who have experienced violence from an intimate partner.
Learner examples
They are very intimate now that they are married.
Most, hogy házasok, szexuálisan is nagyon közel állnak egymáshoz.
The couple shared an intimate moment alone.
A pár kettesben egy intim pillanatot élt át.
She does not talk about her intimate life at work.
He has never had an intimate relationship before.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "intimate" for any close friendship. When you say people are "intimate" or talk about someone's "intimate life", native speakers often understand this as sexual or romantic. Use carefully to avoid sounding too personal.
Meaning
sexually or physically close
Collocations
intimate moment
|intimate act
|intimate encounter
|intimate partner
|become intimate
|sexually intimate
Synonyms
sexual (More direct and less polite; "intimate" can sound softer or more romantic.)
|
romantic (Focuses on love and emotion; does not always include physical or sexual contact.)
Antonyms
platonic (Describes close relationships that do not involve sexual activity.)
|
chaste (Emphasizes not having sexual activity, often for moral or religious reasons.)
Themes
relationships
|sex
|emotions
|body
Definition
Describes a romantic situation where two people are physically very close or have sex.
Describing a relationship, activity, or moment that involves sexual or very physically close romantic behavior.
B2
4
meghitt
B2
bensőséges
B2
Usage pattern:
an intimate [restaurant/wedding/gathering/setting]
They chose an intimate restaurant for their anniversary dinner.
Az évfordulós vacsorára egy meghitt éttermet választottak.
The wedding was a small, intimate ceremony with only close family and friends.
Az esküvő egy kicsi, bensőséges szertartás volt, csak a közeli családtagokkal és barátokkal.
The singer prefers intimate venues where she can see every face in the crowd.
Soft lighting and quiet music created an intimate atmosphere in the bar.
Learner examples
We ate in a small, intimate restaurant.
Egy kicsi, meghitt étteremben ettünk.
They had an intimate wedding with only twenty guests.
Szűk körű, meghitt esküvőjük volt, mindössze húsz vendéggel.
The room felt warm and intimate.
I like intimate concerts in small clubs.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "intimate" here always suggests something sexual. When used with places or events like "intimate restaurant" or "intimate wedding", it usually means small, private, and friendly, not sexual.
Meaning
small, private, and cozy (place)
Collocations
intimate restaurant
|intimate setting
|intimate venue
|intimate dinner
|intimate gathering
|intimate ceremony
Synonyms
cozy (Stresses comfort and warmth; may not always suggest privacy or small numbers of people.)
|
small-scale (Focuses on size; may lack the emotional warmth implied by "intimate".)
Antonyms
crowded (Suggests many people and little privacy, the opposite of an intimate atmosphere.)
|
impersonal (Describes places or events that feel cold or not friendly.)
Themes
socializing
|leisure
|places
|daily_life
|housing
Definition
Describes a place or event that is small and private, where people feel relaxed and close.
Describing a place, event, or atmosphere that is small, private, and feels warm and friendly.
C1
5
Usage pattern:
[someone] has an intimate knowledge of [something]
She has an intimate knowledge of the local laws.
Beható ismeretei vannak a helyi törvényekről.
The guide’s intimate understanding of the city made the tour unforgettable.
Az idegenvezető városról szerzett mélyreható ismeretei felejthetetlenné tették a túrát.
His intimate familiarity with the software saved the company hours of work.
Only a few people have such an intimate grasp of the negotiations.
Learner examples
She has an intimate knowledge of English grammar.
Behatóan ismeri az angol nyelvtant.
Our teacher has an intimate understanding of this subject.
A tanárunk nagyon alaposan ismeri ezt a témát.
He gained an intimate knowledge of the city by living there for years.
The manager has an intimate grasp of the company’s history.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this use of "intimate" is about emotions. With words like "knowledge", "understanding", or "grasp", it instead means very detailed and complete knowledge.
Meaning
very detailed and thorough knowledge
Collocations
intimate knowledge
|intimate understanding
|intimate familiarity
|intimate acquaintance with
|intimate grasp of
Synonyms
thorough (Emphasizes completeness; does not always suggest long experience or closeness to the subject.)
|
in-depth (Focuses on depth of knowledge; stylistically a bit less formal than "intimate".)
Antonyms
superficial (Describes knowledge that is only on the surface, not deep or detailed.)
|
limited (Shows that the person does not know very much about the subject.)
Themes
knowledge
|work
|academics
|education
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Having very deep and complete knowledge about something.
Having very detailed, thorough, and complete knowledge or understanding of something.
NOUN
C1
FORMAL
6
bizalmas
C1
Usage pattern:
[someone] is an intimate of [someone]
Only his closest intimates knew how ill he really was.
Csak a legközelebbi bizalmasai tudták, milyen súlyosan beteg valójában.
As an intimate of the minister, she had access to private discussions.
A miniszter bizalmasaként hozzáfért a zárt körű megbeszélésekhez.
The president relied on a small group of intimates for honest advice.
Very few people outside his intimates understood his decision.
Learner examples
She is one of his few intimates.
A nő az egyik kevés bizalmasa.
Only his intimates know his true feelings.
Csak a bizalmasai ismerik az igazi érzéseit.
He trusts his intimates more than anyone else.
The leader talks freely only with his intimates.
Common mistake:
Learners often do not recognize "intimate" as a noun and may think it is an adjective in phrases like "his intimates". Here it means his very close friends.
Meaning
a very close trusted friend
Collocations
a close intimate
|a trusted intimate
|a political intimate
|an intimate of the president
|circle of intimates
Synonyms
confidant (Focuses on a person you share secrets with; sounds formal, similar style to noun "intimate".)
|
close friend (More common and neutral; lacks the formal or literary tone of "intimate".)
Antonyms
acquaintance (Someone you know but are not close to; the opposite of an intimate friend.)
|
stranger (Someone you do not know at all.)
Themes
relationships
|social life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A person who is a very close friend and knows many private things about you.
A person who is a very close and trusted friend, often knowing many personal details about someone's life.
VERB
C1
FORMAL
7
Usage pattern:
[someone] intimates (that) [clause]
He intimated that he might resign if the policy passed.
Arra utalt, hogy lemondhat, ha elfogadják a szabályzatot.
In her letter, she intimated a desire to return to academic work.
Levelében utalt rá, hogy szeretne visszatérni a tudományos munkához.
The report intimated that further cuts could be necessary.
Officials have intimated that negotiations are close to collapse.
Learner examples
He intimated that the project could fail.
Arra utalt, hogy a projekt kudarcot vallhat.
She intimated her wish to move to another office.
Burkoltan jelezte, hogy szeretne egy másik irodába költözni.
The manager intimated that some people might lose their jobs.
The email intimated that changes were coming.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse the verb "intimate" with the adjective meaning "close" and try to say "we intimate well". As a verb, it is formal and means to suggest something indirectly, usually followed by "that" and a clause.
Meaning
to suggest or hint indirectly
Collocations
intimate that
|intimate a desire to
|intimate his intention
|intimate her wish
|intimate the possibility
Synonyms
hint (More common and less formal; can be used in more everyday contexts.)
|
imply (Similar meaning; slightly less formal and more frequent than "intimate".)
Antonyms
state (Means to say something clearly and directly, the opposite of suggesting indirectly.)
|
declare (Emphasizes making something clear and official, not subtle.)
Themes
communication
|politics
|business
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To say or show something in a careful way, without saying it directly.
To communicate something in an indirect or subtle way, rather than stating it clearly and directly.
Grammar
Dictionary form
intimate
IPA
GB/ˈɪntɪmɪt/
US/ˈɪntɪmɪt/
Syllables & stress
in - tim - ate (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (in)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: intimate
Noun
- Base: intimate
- Plural: intimates
Verb
- Base: intimate
- 3rd Person Singular: intimates
- Present Participle: intimating
- Past: intimated
Word family
Forms
intimates
noun
intimating
verb
intimated
verb
Core family
intimacy
noun B2
intimately
adverb C1
Advanced or less common
intimation
noun C1
Expressions
be intimate with
1/bˈi ˈɪntɪmɪt wˈɪθ/
fixed phrase
have a sexual relationship with
To have sex with someone, or to be physically very close to them in a romantic way.
Examples
- She refused to answer questions about whether she had been intimate with her co-star.
- He admitted that he had been intimate with several partners in the past.
intimate knowledge of
1/ˈɪntɪmɪt nˈɑlɪd͡ʒ əv/
fixed phrase
very detailed knowledge of something
Very deep and complete knowledge about something, usually from long experience or study.
Examples
- The lawyer has intimate knowledge of international trade law.
- Local guides with intimate knowledge of the forest led the team safely to the village.
intimate relationship
1/ˈɪntɪmɪt ɹilˈeɪʃənʃˌɪp/
fixed phrase
very close romantic relationship
A romantic relationship where two people feel very close and share personal and often sexual parts of their lives.
Examples
- They have maintained an intimate relationship for over ten years.
- She finds it hard to build intimate relationships after her past experiences.
intimate setting
1/ˈɪntɪmɪt sˈɛtɪŋ/
fixed phrase
small, private, cozy place
A place or situation that is small, private, and feels warm and relaxed, usually with only a few people.
Examples
- The concert took place in an intimate setting with only fifty seats.
- Candles and soft music created an intimate setting for the dinner.