intimate

1 of 3

adjective

in·​ti·​mate ˈin-tə-mət 

1

a

: marked by a warm friendship developing through long association

intimate friends

b

: suggesting informal warmth or privacy

intimate clubs

c

: engaged in, involving, or marked by sex or sexual relations

It must have been a shock for the author to realize—somewhere between contract and completed manuscript—that while Ms. Brickman was intimate with dozens of mobsters, she was close to none of them.

—Amy Pagnozzi

The father of three children by three women doesn't have a girlfriend and says he hasn't been intimate with anyone in two months.

—Michael Silver

2

: of a very personal or private nature

intimate secrets

3

: marked by very close association, contact, or familiarity

intimate knowledge of the law

4

a

: intrinsic, essential

b

: belonging to or characterizing one's deepest nature

intimately adverb

intimateness noun

intimate

2 of 3

noun

in·​ti·​mate ˈin-tə-mət 

: a very close friend or confidant : an intimate friend

intimate

3 of 3

verb

in·​ti·​mate ˈin-tə-ˌmāt 

intimated; intimating

transitive verb

1

: to communicate delicately and indirectly : hint

2

: to make known especially publicly or formally : announce

intimater noun

Synonyms

Adjective

• bosom
• buddy-buddy
• chummy
• close
• especial
• familiar
• friendly
• inseparable
• inward
• near
• thick
• tight

Noun

• alter ego
• amigo
• buddy
• chum
• compadre
• comrade
• confidant
• confidante
• crony
• familiar
• friend
• mate [chiefly British]
• musketeer
• pal

Verb

• allude
• hint
• imply
• indicate
• infer
• insinuate
• suggest

Choose the Right Synonym for intimate

suggest, imply, hint, intimate, insinuate mean to convey an idea indirectly.

suggest may stress putting into the mind by association of ideas, awakening of a desire, or initiating a train of thought.

a film title that suggests its subject matter

imply is close to suggest but may indicate a more definite or logical relation of the unexpressed idea to the expressed.

measures implying that bankruptcy was imminent

hint implies the use of slight or remote suggestion with a minimum of overt statement.

hinted that she might get the job

intimate stresses delicacy of suggestion without connoting any lack of candor.

intimates that there is more to the situation than meets the eye

insinuate applies to the conveying of a usually unpleasant idea in a sly underhanded manner.

insinuated that there were shady dealings

Examples of intimate in a Sentence

Adjective

The dining room is plush and intimate, set off by some of the most extravagant floral arrangements in the city. —Thomas Matthews, Wine Spectator, 31 Mar. 2009

When a little-known writer undertakes a manifesto—a statement, after all, of sober purpose and principle—it is likely also to be a cri de coeur, and its reasoned argument will derive from the intimate wounds of autobiography. —Cynthia Ozick, Harper's, April 2007

The company would sit around after dinner in the lavishly plain living room or wander out to the pool for more intimate conversation … —Arthur Miller, Timebends, 1987

They remained intimate friends throughout their lives.

They are in an intimate and committed relationship.

Noun

Musicians … tend not, as writers do, to write hundreds of letters sharing with intimates what is going on in their hearts or heads. —August Kleinzahler, New York Times Book Review, 18 Oct. 2009

She might not mind his assistance, and he was hungering for the company of an intimate to whom he could give and from whom he could receive, and who better in all the world than Nancy? —Philip Roth, Everyman, 2006

So this is a biography rich in information, written in a humble and tasteful way by an intimate whose aim is to put a lot of material at the reader's disposal … —Martha C. Nussbaum, New Republic, 31 Dec. 2001 & 7 Jan. 2002

His coworkers knew him as “Robert,” but his intimates called him “Robbie.”

usually quite aloof in public, he's actually quite relaxed with his intimates

Verb

Is he really—as his advisers keep intimating to Western journalists—a serious reformer waiting to emerge from the closet? —Murray Scot Tanner, Newsweek, 6 May 2002

The dome tops look like pieces of the older ridged plains, intimating that the domes formed when the plains were pushed upward from below. —Robert T. Pappalardo et al., Scientific American, October 1999

He bounded on stage wearing a polo T-shirt and trousers whose sleekness intimated a large American Express bill. —Caroline Sullivan, Times (London), 15 Oct. 1992

trying to intimate that there was more going on than anyone knew

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Lower-income Californians also are more likely to live in tight quarters, making privacy for an intimate therapy session difficult. —Phillip Reese, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025

In two weeks, guests will visit UNESCO sites like Luang Prabang, witness elephants in their natural habitats, attend an intimate Baci ceremony led by a Lao prince, attend a private fashion show from one of Cambodia’s top designers, take a helicopter tour over the Khmer temples of Angkor, and more. —Opheli Garcia Lawler, Travel + Leisure, 8 May 2025

Noun

Retailers, including intimates brand Bare Necessities, mattress maker Saatva and furniture retail Raymour & Flanigan, have used the tariff disruption as a way to encourage customers to buy now. —Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025

In that sense, Janine and Lydia are intimates, too. —Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 Apr. 2025

Verb

Free trade should reign, the spokesperson intimated, and is wholly focused on bolstering its relationships with other trading partners to guard against unfairness perpetuated by Washington. —Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 21 Apr. 2025

From music events with Anderson.Paak, Neil Frances, and BANKS to panel conversations with Deadline and Frieze, to culinary tastings with Quintessa Wines and Lalo Tequila to intimate experiences with Surya Spa. —Yola Robert, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

alteration of obsolete intime, from Latin intimus — see intimate entry 3

Verb

Late Latin intimatus, past participle of intimare to put in, announce, from Latin intimus innermost, superlative of Old Latin *interus inward — more at interior

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1632, in the meaning defined at sense 4a

Noun

1660, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing intimate

• be on intimate terms
• intimate with

Kids Definition

intimate

1 of 3 verb

in·​ti·​mate ˈint-ə-ˌmāt 

intimated; intimating

1

: announce sense 1

2

: to communicate indirectly : hint

intimater noun

intimation

ˌint-ə-ˈmā-shən 

noun

intimate

2 of 3 adjective

in·​ti·​mate ˈint-ə-mət 

1

: belonging to or characterizing one's deepest nature

her intimate reflections

2

: marked by very close association or contact

an intimate familiarity with the rules

3

a

: marked by a warm friendship developing through long association

intimate friends

b

: suggesting informal warmth or privacy

intimate clubs

4

: of a very personal or private nature

intimate secrets

intimately adverb

intimateness noun

intimate

3 of 3 noun

in·​ti·​mate ˈint-ə-mət 

: an intimate friend : confidant