intimate

verb in·ti·mate \ ˈin-tə-ˌmāt \

Updated on: 22 Apr 2018

Definition of intimate

intimated; intimating

transitive verb

1 : to make known especially publicly or formally : announce

2 : to communicate delicately and indirectly : hint

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intimater

noun

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intimation

play \ˌin-tə-ˈmā-shən\ noun

See intimate defined for English-language learners

See intimate defined for kids

Examples of intimate in a Sentence

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 of intimate from the Web

Joe's trauma is dramatized through abrupt, elliptical flashbacks that intimate horrific childhood abuse and relate his distressing experiences in the line of duty, first as a soldier and later as an FBI agent.

— leah pickett, Chicago Reader, "You Were Never Really Here updates Taxi Driver to an even colder urban landscape," 12 Apr. 2018
HISD Board of Trustees President Rhonda Skillern-Jones noted Carranza had more than a year left on his deal, and three new trustees were seated in January -- intimating that the timing for an extension wasn't ideal.

— jacob carpenter, Houston Chronicle, "Separation agreement shows clean break between Carranza, Houston ISD," 11 Apr. 2018
Young intimated the violent nature of video games might play a role in gun violence.

— Washington Post, "Alaska lawmaker cites Holocaust deaths to oppose gun control," 28 Feb. 2018
It is intimated that Rajneesh is a hypnotist as much as a mystic.

— taylor antrim, Vogue, "Make Netflix’s Cult Documentary Wild Wild Country Your Next Weekend Binge," 16 Mar. 2018
Woods intimated that was the reason why he's found some form after years ruined by back injury and personal issues.

— tom mcgowan, CNN, "Tiger Woods has got his 'feels' back at the Arnold Palmer Invitational," 16 Mar. 2018
Manager Joe Maddon intimated that second baseman Javier Baez might be held out through Tuesday as a precautionary measure.

— mark gonzales, chicagotribune.com, "Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks has high hopes for new curveball grip," 10 Mar. 2018
Musk has intimated that, after the currently-unannounced Model Y is revealed, Tesla will develop a pickup truck.

— megan geuss, Ars Technica, "Tesla loses another $675 million in Q4, its biggest quarterly loss yet," 7 Feb. 2018
In addition, the neurology specialist is alleged to have intimated witnesses during the trial.

— christopher harress, AL.com, ""Yada yada yada," Jerry Seinfeld will return to Mobile this May," 2 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'intimate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of intimate

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1522

See Words from the same year

intimate Synonyms

Synonyms

allude, hint, imply, indicate, infer, insinuate, suggest;

Near Antonyms

announce, declare, proclaim;

elucidate, explain, spell out;

delineate, describe;

smack (of), smell (of);

Synonym Discussion of 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

intimate

adjective in·ti·mate \ ˈin-tə-mət \

Definition of intimate

1 a : intrinsic, essential

b : belonging to or characterizing one's deepest nature

2 : marked by very close association, contact, or familiarity

intimate knowledge of the law

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

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intimately

adverb

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intimateness

noun

See intimate defined for English-language learners

Examples of intimate in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples of intimate from the Web

Michael Young, co-general manager at Crown Seoul, said Asian-style karaoke is more intimate than traditional karaoke because of the tighter quarters and a tiny audience usually consisting of friends.

— wesley case, baltimoresun.com, "A guide to karaoke in Baltimore, from bars and rentable rooms to social leagues," 18 Apr. 2018
Particularly when that trouble relates to intimate partner violence.

— peter king, SI.com, "Josh Allen Needs Patient NFL Team (Like, Say, the Cleveland Browns?) to Relieve The Pressure," 18 Apr. 2018
The otherwise happy occasion was marked by reports of infidelity on Tristan's part, with several videos leaking that appeared to show Tristan kissing and being intimate with other women while he was involved with Khloé.

— kayleigh roberts, Marie Claire, "Wait—Did the Hollywood Medium Predict the Khloé Kardashian and Tristan Thompson Drama?," 14 Apr. 2018
There was also the handful of men I’d already met, dated, and been intimate with, who had a tendency to disappear and resurface again months later like orphaned ankle socks.

— daisy alioto, The Cut, "The Underrated Beauty of the ‘Micro-Romance’," 9 Apr. 2018
With audience members seated all around the circular space, even on stage, the feel is intimate.

— laura demarco, cleveland.com, "Great Lakes Theater's magnificent "Macbeth": Traditional, inspired, relevant (review)," 6 Apr. 2018
While Pine has performed with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra and the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra on previous concerts, this solo recital is more intimate.

— jen banowetz, Elgin Courier-News, "Rachel Barton Pine joins Chamber Music on the Fox for salute to Maud Powell," 4 Apr. 2018
Those friendships were often more intimate, complicated to describe, and, sometimes, tricky to navigate.

— meredith goldstein, Health.com, "Why I Wish People Would Stop Calling My Best Friend My ‘Work Husband’," 4 Apr. 2018
The Eddy is intimate and quite popular, so be prepared to stand at the bar or wait for a table.

— julia sherman, Vogue, "Why Providence, Rhode Island, Should Be Your Next Weekend Getaway," 15 Mar. 2018

Origin and Etymology of intimate

alteration of obsolete intime, from Latin intimus — see ¹intimate

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1632

See Words from the same year

intimate Synonyms

intimate

noun in·ti·mate \ ˈin-tə-mət \

Definition of intimate

: a very close friend or confidant : an intimate friend

See intimate defined for English-language learners

Examples of intimate in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of intimate from the Web

Seven years after selling Agent Provocateur, lingerie maven Serena Rees is reentering the market with a modern take on intimates.

— emilia petrarca, The Cut, "This New Brand Makes the Case That Men Need Lingerie, Too," 1 Sep. 2017
Her line of adorable products, Dear Drew by Drew Barrymore, just launched on Amazon Fashion and includes clothing, accessories, luggage, jewelry, intimates, and more.

— donna freydkin, Allure, "Drew Barrymore Releases Line of Perfectly Pink and Pretty Hair Tools," 24 Oct. 2017
Addressing the crowd of intimates, Monaco praised his benefactor.

— christopher glazek, Esquire, "The Secretive Family Making Billions From the Opioid Crisis," 16 Oct. 2017
In this culminating event at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, co-directed by Orion Stephanie Johnstone, Ms. Oh will detail her intimate history of intimates, finding the political in the very personal.

— alexis soloski, New York Times, "What’s New in NYC Theater," 21 Sep. 2017
These are the images of Virginia’s high-profile governor’s race just six weeks from Election Day — intimate, controlled and more likely to be on social media than in news outlets.

— gregory s. schneider, Washington Post, "If Trump was a rock star, Va. governor candidates are looking like wallflowers," 16 Sep. 2017
Serena Rees, who established Provocateur in 1994 (and eventually sold it off a decade ago), is launching Les Girls Les Boys—a lingerie label featuring intimates, underwear, and streetwear that isn't confined to one gender.

— erica gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Agent Provocateur's Founder Is Launching Gender-Fluid Lingerie," 30 Aug. 2017
In a perfect world, all of my intimates would be from Baserange — not only because each of the brand’s pieces are sustainable, but also because of their cool minimalist take on comfy favorites.

— indya brown, The Cut, "10 Bralettes That Will Make You Want to Give Up Padding for Good," 14 Aug. 2017
After all, Littlefinger wants to make her his sinister sidekick, but Turner intimates that won't happen.

— stephanie merry, chicagotribune.com, "Some 'Game of Thrones' stars are better than others at keeping secrets," 11 July 2017