intimate
gb/ˈɪntɪmɪt/ us/ˈɪntɪmɪt/
B2
English
~ 9200
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
emotionally very close and personal
Describes a very close relationship where people share deep feelings and personal things.
Usage pattern:
an intimate [relationship/friend/conversation] between [people]
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.
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.)
Collocations
intimate friend
|intimate relationship
|intimate partner
|intimate conversation
|become intimate
|remain intimate
Themes
relationships
|emotions
|daily life
Examples
- They have been intimate friends since high school and still share everything with each other.
- Over the years, an intimate bond grew between the two colleagues.
- 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.
- They have an intimate relationship and talk about everything.
- We had an intimate talk about our families.
- Over time, the group became more intimate and trusted each other.
adjective
B2
property
2
very private and personal
Describes details or things about a person that are very private and not for everyone to know.
Usage pattern:
intimate [details/questions/thoughts] about [someone]
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.
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.)
Collocations
intimate details
|intimate questions
|intimate thoughts
|intimate diary
|intimate portrait
|share intimate information
Themes
privacy
|emotions
|daily life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The interviewer asked some very intimate questions about his childhood.
- She refused to share intimate details of her divorce with the media.
- 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.
- He told me some intimate facts about his family.
- She wrote down her intimate thoughts in a notebook.
- They asked intimate questions that made me uncomfortable.
adjective
B2
property
3
sexually or physically close
Describes a romantic situation where two people are physically very close or have sex.
Usage pattern:
[people] are intimate with [each other]
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.
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.)
Collocations
intimate moment
|intimate act
|intimate encounter
|intimate partner
|become intimate
|sexually intimate
Themes
relationships
|sex
|emotions
|body
Examples
- They became intimate after dating for several months.
- The film includes several intimate scenes between the two main characters.
- 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.
- The couple shared an intimate moment alone.
- She does not talk about her intimate life at work.
- He has never had an intimate relationship before.
unknown
B2
property
4
small, private, and cozy (place)
Describes a place or event that is small and private, where people feel relaxed and close.
Usage pattern:
an intimate [restaurant/wedding/gathering/setting]
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.
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.)
Collocations
intimate restaurant
|intimate setting
|intimate venue
|intimate dinner
|intimate gathering
|intimate ceremony
Themes
socializing
|leisure
|places
|daily_life
|housing
Examples
- They chose an intimate restaurant for their anniversary dinner.
- The wedding was a small, intimate ceremony with only close family and friends.
- 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.
- They had an intimate wedding with only twenty guests.
- The room felt warm and intimate.
- I like intimate concerts in small clubs.
adjective
C1
property
5
very detailed and thorough knowledge
Having very deep and complete knowledge about something.
Usage pattern:
[someone] has an intimate knowledge of [something]
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.
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.)
Collocations
intimate knowledge
|intimate understanding
|intimate familiarity
|intimate acquaintance with
|intimate grasp of
Themes
knowledge
|work
|academics
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She has an intimate knowledge of the local laws.
- The guide’s intimate understanding of the city made the tour unforgettable.
- 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.
- Our teacher has an intimate understanding of this subject.
- He gained an intimate knowledge of the city by living there for years.
- The manager has an intimate grasp of the company’s history.
Noun
formal
C1
entity
6
a very close trusted friend
A person who is a very close friend and knows many private things about you.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is an intimate of [someone]
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.
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.)
Collocations
a close intimate
|a trusted intimate
|a political intimate
|an intimate of the president
|circle of intimates
Themes
relationships
|social life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Only his closest intimates knew how ill he really was.
- As an intimate of the minister, she had access to private discussions.
- 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.
- Only his intimates know his true feelings.
- He trusts his intimates more than anyone else.
- The leader talks freely only with his intimates.
Verb
formal
C1
action
7
to suggest or hint indirectly
To say or show something in a careful way, without saying it directly.
Usage pattern:
[someone] intimates (that) [clause]
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.
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.)
Collocations
intimate that
|intimate a desire to
|intimate his intention
|intimate her wish
|intimate the possibility
Themes
communication
|politics
|business
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He intimated that he might resign if the policy passed.
- In her letter, she intimated a desire to return to academic work.
- 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.
- She intimated her wish to move to another office.
- The manager intimated that some people might lose their jobs.
- The email intimated that changes were coming.
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.