intimate 1 of 3

1
2

intimate

2 of 3

noun

intimate

3 of 3

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word intimate distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of intimate are hint, imply, insinuate, and suggest. While all these words mean "to convey an idea indirectly," intimate stresses delicacy of suggestion without connoting any lack of candor.

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

In what contexts can hint take the place of intimate?

The meanings of hint and intimate largely overlap; however, hint implies the use of slight or remote suggestion with a minimum of overt statement.

hinted that she might get the job

How are the words imply and suggest related as synonyms of intimate?

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

When would insinuate be a good substitute for intimate?

The words insinuate and intimate can be used in similar contexts, but insinuate applies to the conveying of a usually unpleasant idea in a sly underhanded manner.

insinuated that there were shady dealings

When could suggest be used to replace intimate?

The synonyms suggest and intimate are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of intimate
Adjective
Two stages, the mainstage sitting in the City Hall parking lot and a more intimate setting across the street inside the historic Aztec Theater, will hold several live bands throughout the day. Taylor O’Connor, Kansas City Star, 25 June 2025 The event was large enough to feel frenetic but small enough to be intimate, like a private house party. Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 25 June 2025
Noun
In that sense, Janine and Lydia are intimates, too. Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 Apr. 2025 Long before the advent of television, films, or the Internet, radio made the remote immediate and the powerful intimate. Claire Hoffman, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2025
Verb
The three wrap up by discussing whether the settlement will be remembered as a turning point in American sports business, as Alabama AD Greg Byrne recently intimated—or whether more chaos awaits. Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 10 June 2025 Brown intimated as much prior to Sunday’s game, acknowledging the myriad health issues that have plagued Melton this season — first a back problem that started in spring training and then a groin issue that affected him in April. Chandler Rome, New York Times, 2 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for intimate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intimate
Adjective
  • The likelihood of lightning increases as a thunderstorm gets closer and reaches its highest point when the storm is directly overhead.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 28 June 2025
  • Bacon has served Nebraska in Congress since 2017, winning multiple competitive races in the state's 2nd Congressional District, an area that has seen increasingly close contests between Republicans and Democrats in recent election cycles.
    Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 June 2025
Adjective
  • Her usual duties included accessing confidential deputy records and internal affairs investigations.
    James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025
  • The city argued the policy was confidential, and would interfere with the department’s ability to fight crime.
    Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • Indeed, environmental advocacy groups appear to share her concerns, and several, including Friends of the Everglades, sued the DeSantis administration on Friday in an effort to halt the project.
    Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 1 July 2025
  • The circumstances varied, from hikers bringing their furry friends on multi-day backpacking trips to taking them up 14,000-foot peaks, but in every case, sheer exhaustion was the primary cause.
    Owen Clarke, Outside Online, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • The high court had unanimously indicated in a prior case that potential deportees must be given due process protections.
    Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 23 June 2025
  • The fact that oil prices fell sharply after the news broke also indicates that traders viewed the immediate threat of a widening war as diminished.
    Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
Adjective
  • Pritzker and Emanuel are nationally familiar names.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 24 June 2025
  • The skills that prepare a child to read begin developing in utero, as a baby listens to the familiar voices around them and begins to develop connections between sounds and the meanings of words in their home language.
    Jenny Gold, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2025
Adjective
  • The recent acquisition of 80% of its operating business by one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious private equity firms, PAI Partners, values the brand at $3.6 billion.
    Katharina Kotrba, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
  • Robyn and John Horn of Little Rock have donated 105 works of art from their private collection to the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, the art center’s executive director announced Monday.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 June 2025
Noun
  • The clip, which Ring shared with Newsweek, captures a typical afternoon for Mako, who can be seen on the footage heading over to his buddy Leonard's house.
    Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
  • Should Congress enact an antitrust exemption for college sports, perhaps, or create a special class of non-employment for student-athletes to ensure they can be exploited in perpetuity by sleazy college officials in polyester slacks and their booster buddies?
    Guy Lawson, Rolling Stone, 22 June 2025
Verb
  • The decision implies he might have been changed by Gi-hun’s choice to hold onto his humanity.
    Kayti Burt, Time, 27 June 2025
  • The final scene implies that so long as there are desperate individual people, there will always be an opportunity for a Squid Game.
    Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 27 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Intimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intimate. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on intimate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!