intimate

1 of 3

adjective

in·​ti·​mate ˈin-tə-mət How to pronounce intimate (audio)
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
b
: belonging to or characterizing one's deepest nature
intimately adverb
intimateness noun

intimate

2 of 3

noun

in·​ti·​mate ˈin-tə-mət How to pronounce intimate (audio)
: a very close friend or confidant : an intimate friend

intimate

3 of 3

verb

in·​ti·​mate ˈin-tə-ˌmāt How to pronounce intimate (audio)
intimated; intimating

transitive verb

1
: to communicate delicately and indirectly : hint
2
: to make known especially publicly or formally : announce
intimater noun
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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Adjective
Zoom in: Denver police issued a public statement in August about a rise in intimate partner abuse cases this year. Esteban L. Hernandez, Axios, 23 Oct. 2024 The intimate art scene here invites travelers to workshops, private galleries, and ateliers. Olivia Schellenberg, Travel + Leisure, 23 Oct. 2024
Noun
Adore Me Women’s intimates darling Adore Me’s partnership with Ever Dye has come to life. Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 2 Oct. 2024 That's a whole lot of buttery-soft intimates, shapewear, and loungewear. Victoria Montalti, refinery29.com, 9 Apr. 2024
Verb
There's plenty to keep guests busy like weekly cocktail shows featuring fire eaters on the beach to intimate private cinema nights and yoga sessions in a treehouse overlooking the sea, and more, bookable on the hotel app. Rooksana Hossenally, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2024 Villeneuve also intimated his desire to make a dialogue-free film at some point. Caroline Frost, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for intimate 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of intimate was in 1548

Dictionary Entries Near intimate

Cite this Entry

“Intimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intimate. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

intimate

1 of 3 verb
in·​ti·​mate ˈint-ə-ˌmāt How to pronounce intimate (audio)
intimated; intimating
1
2
: to communicate indirectly : hint
intimater noun
intimation noun

intimate

2 of 3 adjective
in·​ti·​mate ˈint-ə-mət How to pronounce intimate (audio)
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 How to pronounce intimate (audio)
: an intimate friend : confidant

More from Merriam-Webster on intimate

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