intimacy

noun

in·​ti·​ma·​cy ˈin-tə-mə-sē 

plural intimacies

1

: the state of being intimate : familiarity

2

: something of a personal or private nature

Synonyms of intimacy

• familiarity
• belonging
• kinship
• friendship
• love

Examples of intimacy in a Sentence

the intimacy of old friends

the intimacy of their relationship

He felt he achieved a certain intimacy with her.

The band liked the intimacy of the nightclub.

Recent Examples on the Web

There is no singular way to approach intimacy when characters are searching for ways to be happy and live life once again. —Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 15 Jan. 2026

Collectively, the show imagines a Westeros that’s never felt more lived-in, and that intimacy carries over to the performances. —Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026

Landau takes out her phone to show me pictures of Rosta and Hunter leaning in close to each other, displaying an intimacy that’s not typical for a sterile meeting room. —Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2026

Objects—an old writing desk, a painting, an ice pick—become repositories for intimacies. —The New Yorker, New Yorker, 14 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

intimacy

noun

in·​ti·​ma·​cy ˈint-ə-mə-sē 

plural intimacies

1

: the state of being intimate

2

: something of a personal or private nature

shared little intimacies in their letters