intimacy
gb/ˈɪntɪməsi/ us/ˈɪntɪməsi/
B2
Inglese
~ 5400
Accezioni
0 accezioni
Sostantivo
B2
state
1
close, trusting personal relationship
a very close and warm relationship where people trust each other and share their true feelings
Schema d'uso:
intimacy between [people] / intimacy with [someone]
Errore comune:
Learners sometimes use "intimacy" to mean any friendly relationship. In English, "intimacy" usually suggests a very close, emotionally open relationship, not just being friendly. Also, use "intimacy with someone" or "intimacy between people", not "intimacy to someone".
Sinonimi
closeness (General word for a close relationship; less likely to imply deep emotional sharing than "intimacy".)
|
bond (Suggests a strong connection or tie; may be emotional but does not always imply private or vulnerable sharing.)
Contrari
distance (Suggests lack of emotional closeness or connection between people.)
Collocazioni
emotional intimacy
|intimacy between partners
|intimacy with [someone]
|build intimacy
|fear of intimacy
|intimacy issues
Temi
relationships
|emotions
|family
|romance
Esempi
- Over the years, a deep intimacy grew between the two friends.
- Couples therapy helped them rebuild the intimacy they had lost.
- She values emotional intimacy more than expensive gifts.
- The retreat was designed to foster intimacy and trust within the team.
- Childhood experiences often shape how comfortable we feel with intimacy as adults.
Esempi per chi studia
- There is a strong intimacy between the two sisters.
- They are afraid of intimacy and do not let people get close.
- Good communication can help create intimacy in a marriage.
- He enjoys the intimacy of small, close friendships.
- Trust is important for real intimacy.
Sostantivo
B2
action
2
sexual or very close physical contact
sexual activity or very close touching between people in a romantic relationship
Schema d'uso:
physical/sexual intimacy with [someone]
Errore comune:
Learners sometimes use "sex" when they want a softer or more polite word; "intimacy" is often used as a more gentle or private-sounding term. Also, do not say "do intimacy"; instead say "have physical intimacy" or "engage in intimacy".
Sinonimi
sexual relations (More formal and direct; clearly refers to sex, while "intimacy" can sound softer or more euphemistic.)
Contrari
abstinence (Refers to choosing not to have sexual activity, which is the opposite of engaging in sexual intimacy.)
Collocazioni
physical intimacy
|sexual intimacy
|intimacy with a partner
|engage in intimacy
|fear of physical intimacy
|intimacy in a marriage
Temi
sex
|relationships
|romance
|body
Esempi
- He struggles with physical intimacy because of past trauma.
- They agreed to wait before moving into sexual intimacy.
- The movie shows their growing intimacy without explicit scenes.
- Some cultures place strong rules around sexual intimacy before marriage.
- After the surgery, they had to slowly rebuild their physical intimacy.
Esempi per chi studia
- They are not ready for sexual intimacy yet.
- Physical intimacy is an important part of their relationship.
- She has a fear of intimacy after a bad experience.
- They talk about their needs for intimacy in the marriage.
- The couple lost intimacy and felt more like roommates.
Sostantivo
formal
C1
state
3
deep familiarity with something
very close and detailed knowledge of something because you have known or studied it for a long time
Schema d'uso:
intimacy with [a subject/area]
Errore comune:
Learners usually use "knowledge of" or "familiarity with" in this sense and may not realize "intimacy" can also describe detailed knowledge. This use is more formal and is not common in everyday conversation.
Sinonimi
familiarity (Very close in meaning; "intimacy" is slightly stronger and more personal or thorough than general "familiarity".)
Contrari
ignorance (Indicates a lack of knowledge, which is the opposite of deep familiarity or intimacy with something.)
Collocazioni
intimacy with the law
|intimacy with the subject
|intimacy with the city
|intimacy with the details
|a rare intimacy with nature
|intimacy with the material
Temi
knowledge
|work
|arts
|education
|core_vocabulary
Esempi
- The lawyer's intimacy with international trade law made her invaluable to the company.
- His writing shows an impressive intimacy with local history.
- Years of fieldwork gave her an intimacy with the landscape that few researchers possess.
- The guide spoke with an intimacy with the city that only a lifelong resident could have.
- Her intimacy with the software allowed her to solve problems quickly.
Esempi per chi studia
- She has an intimacy with the subject after many years of study.
- His intimacy with the city streets helps him drive without a map.
- The teacher shows intimacy with the language in every lesson.
- After ten years in the job, he gained intimacy with the system.
- The artist's intimacy with color is clear in her paintings.
Sostantivo
literary
C1
action
4
sharing very private thoughts
a very personal thing that you say or do when you share your private thoughts or secret feelings with someone, often used as "intimacies"
Schema d'uso:
share/exchange intimacies with [someone]
Errore comune:
Learners may not recognize that "intimacies" is often used in the plural to mean very personal things that people say or do. This sense is less common in everyday speech and appears more in books or formal writing.
Sinonimi
confidences (Often used in plural; suggests private or secret things told to someone you trust, similar to "intimacies" but slightly more neutral.)
Contrari
small talk (Light, impersonal conversation, which is the opposite of sharing deep, private intimacies.)
Collocazioni
share intimacies
|exchange intimacies
|whispered intimacies
|private intimacies
|confidential intimacies
|reveal intimacies
Temi
communication
|emotions
|relationships
Esempi
- Late at night they exchanged quiet intimacies about their fears and hopes.
- She was embarrassed that their private intimacies had become public gossip.
- In his letters he poured out intimacies he never spoke aloud.
- The novel is filled with whispered intimacies between the two characters.
- He regretted sharing such intimacies with someone he barely knew.
Esempi per chi studia
- They sit together and share intimacies about their lives.
- She tells her best friend many intimacies she tells no one else.
- The diary is full of personal intimacies.
- He does not like to exchange intimacies with people at work.
- The book includes the writer's private intimacies.
Grammatica
Forma base
intimacy
IPA
GB/ˈɪntɪməsi/
US/ˈɪntɪməsi/
Sillabe e accento
in - tim - acy (3 sillabe)
Stress on 1st syllable (in)
Forme flesse
Noun
- Base: intimacy
- Plural: intimacies, intimacy
Famiglia di parole
Forms
intimacies
noun
Core family
intimate
adjective B2
intimately
adverb C1
Espressioni
a sense of intimacy
1/ə sˈɛns əv ˈɪntɪməsi/
fixed phrase
feeling that things are close and private
a feeling that people are very close and private with each other or in a place
Esempi
- The small restaurant creates a sense of intimacy with its soft lighting.
- Sharing personal stories can build a sense of intimacy in a group.
create intimacy
1/kɹiˈeɪt ˈɪntɪməsi/
fixed phrase
cause people to become close
to make people feel closer and more open with each other
Esempi
- Honest conversations can create intimacy in a relationship.
- The workshop uses group exercises to create intimacy among participants.
emotional intimacy
1/ɪmˈoʊʃənəl ˈɪntɪməsi/
fixed phrase
close and trusting emotional bond
a very close and open emotional relationship where people feel safe to share their true feelings
Esempi
- They have strong emotional intimacy but still struggle with physical closeness.
- The therapist helped the couple rebuild emotional intimacy after the affair.
fear of intimacy
1/fˈɪɹ əv ˈɪntɪməsi/
fixed phrase
fear of getting very close to others
a strong fear of being very close to other people in an emotional or physical way
Esempi
- His fear of intimacy makes it hard for him to stay in long-term relationships.
- Therapy can help people understand the roots of their fear of intimacy.
intimacy issues
1/ˈɪntɪməsi ˈɪʃuz/
fixed phrase
problems with closeness in relationships
difficulties with being emotionally or physically close to other people
Esempi
- She is in therapy to work on her intimacy issues.
- Many couples face intimacy issues after a major conflict.
physical intimacy
1/fˈɪzɪkəl ˈɪntɪməsi/
fixed phrase
very close physical or sexual contact
touching another person in a very close and romantic or sexual way
Esempi
- After the accident, physical intimacy was painful for him for a long time.
- Some couples find it hard to talk openly about physical intimacy.
sexual intimacy
1/sˈɛkʃuəl ˈɪntɪməsi/
fixed phrase
sexual activity between partners
sex or very close sexual contact between people in a romantic relationship
Esempi
- They decided to wait before having sexual intimacy.
- The book discusses how illness can affect sexual intimacy in marriage.