acquaint
gb/əkwˈeɪnt/ us/əkwˈeɪnt/
B2
English
~ 9400
Senses
0 senses
Verb
formal
B2
action
1
make someone aware or familiar
To tell someone about something so that they know it or understand it better.
Usage pattern:
to acquaint [someone] with [something]
Common mistake:
Learners often say *"acquaint about"* instead of *"acquaint with"*. The correct preposition in this sense is almost always **with**: "acquaint someone with the rules," not "acquaint someone about the rules."
Synonyms
inform (More general and common; does not always suggest becoming fully familiar with details.)
|
familiarize (Very close in meaning; often interchangeable, but slightly less formal in tone.)
Antonyms
keep someone in the dark (Means to deliberately not give someone information, the opposite of acquainting them.)
Collocations
acquaint someone with the facts
|acquaint someone with the situation
|acquaint someone with the rules
|acquaint staff with new procedures
|fully acquaint someone
Themes
communication
|learning
|work
Examples
- The manager acquainted the new employees with the company policies on their first day.
- I should first acquaint you with the basic facts of the case.
- The brochure is designed to acquaint visitors with the museum’s history.
- Teachers must acquaint parents with any significant changes to the curriculum.
- Before you sign, your lawyer will acquaint you with the main points of the contract.
Learner examples
- The teacher acquainted the class with the new rules.
- My boss acquainted me with my tasks for the week.
- The guide acquainted us with the safety procedures.
- He acquainted the team with the plan for the project.
- The letter acquainted residents with the road changes.
Verb
formal
C1
action
2
make yourself familiar with something
To learn about something yourself so that you know it well enough to use or deal with it.
Usage pattern:
to acquaint oneself with [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"acquaint me with myself"* or use an object pronoun, but this sense is almost always **reflexive**: "acquaint myself/yourself/themselves with". Do not say *"acquaint me with"* when you mean that **you** are doing the learning yourself; use "acquaint myself" instead.
Synonyms
familiarize yourself (Direct reflexive equivalent; slightly more common in everyday and semi-formal use.)
|
get to know (More informal and broader; can refer to people or things, not just information or procedures.)
Antonyms
ignore (To choose not to learn or pay attention to something that you could acquaint yourself with.)
Collocations
acquaint yourself with the basics
|acquaint yourself with local laws
|acquaint yourself with the system
|acquaint myself with the area
|acquaint ourselves with the details
Themes
learning
|education
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- New volunteers are asked to acquaint themselves with the safety guidelines before their first shift.
- I spent the weekend acquainting myself with the new software.
- Students should acquaint themselves with the library’s resources early in the semester.
- Before moving abroad, she acquainted herself with local customs and laws.
- You’ll need to acquaint yourself with the company’s internal systems before you can work independently.
Learner examples
- Please acquaint yourself with the rules before you play the game.
- I will acquaint myself with the new computer program.
- He is acquainting himself with the city before he starts his job.
- They must acquaint themselves with the laws of the country.
- We need to acquaint ourselves with the plan for tomorrow.
Verb
formal
C2
action
3
formally introduce people to each other
To bring one person and another person together and tell them each other’s names, usually in a formal situation.
Usage pattern:
to acquaint [someone] with [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes try to use this sense in casual situations where **introduce** is much more natural. In everyday speech, say "let me introduce you" rather than "let me acquaint you."
Synonyms
introduce (The normal modern verb; "acquaint" in this sense is more formal and less common.)
Antonyms
keep apart (To prevent people from meeting, the opposite of acquainting them with each other.)
Collocations
acquaint you with my colleague
|acquaint our guests with the host
|acquaint him with the new director
Themes
social
|relationships
|communication
Examples
- Allow me to acquaint you with our new head of department, Dr. Singh.
- At the reception, the host acquainted the visitors with the members of the committee.
- The chairperson first acquainted the audience with the guest speakers for the evening.
Learner examples
- Let me acquaint you with our new manager.
- He acquainted the visitors with the members of his team.
- The teacher acquainted the parents with the new principal.
Grammar
Dictionary form
acquaint
IPA
GB/əkwˈeɪnt/
US/əkwˈeɪnt/
Syllables & stress
ac - quaint (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (quaint)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: acquaint
- 3rd Person Singular: acquaints
- Present Participle: acquainting
- Past: acquainted
Word family
Forms
acquaints
verb
acquainting
verb
acquainted
verb
Core family
acquaintance
noun B1
Negative and opposite forms
unacquainted
adjective
Expressions
acquaint someone with
1/əkwˈeɪnt sˈʌmwˌʌn wˈɪθ/
fixed phrase
formal
inform someone about something
Give someone the information they need so that they understand or know about something.
Examples
- The report will acquaint the committee with the current financial risks.
- We need to acquaint the team with the new procedures as soon as possible.
- The guide quickly acquainted us with the layout of the building.
acquaint yourself with
2/əkwˈeɪnt jʊɹsˈɛlf wˈɪθ/
fixed phrase
formal
learn about something yourself
Learn and understand something by yourself so that you can use it or deal with it.
Examples
- Before the exam, acquaint yourself with the format of the questions.
- All staff must acquaint themselves with the emergency procedures.
- If you’re visiting, acquaint yourself with local customs to avoid misunderstandings.