intimate 1 of 3

adjective

ˈin-tə-mət How to pronounce intimate (audio)
Definition of intimatenext
1
as in close
closely acquainted intimate friends who can practically finish each other's sentences

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in confidential
not known or meant to be known by the general populace they trusted each other enough to share intimate thoughts

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

intimate

2 of 3

noun

ˈin-tə-mət How to pronounce intimate (audio)
as in friend
a person who has a strong liking for and trust in another usually quite aloof in public, he's actually very relaxed with his intimates

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

intimate

3 of 3

verb

ˈin-tə-ˌmāt How to pronounce intimate (audio)
as in to indicate
to convey an idea indirectly trying to intimate that there was more going on than anyone knew

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
The most perfect intimate moments with honey being the star of the show! —Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 18 July 2025 The pair were caught on the jumbotron in an intimate embrace during the band’s show in Boston on Wednesday night, which exploded into an inadvertent, viral hard-launch of their apparent affair by Thursday morning. —Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 18 July 2025
Noun
Saisei, a minimalist-bent, quietly luxe activewear, intimates and loungewear brand has entered the market this week. —Emily Mercer, Footwear News, 2 July 2025 Comparable sales were down 3% during the quarter, led by a 4% decline at the company’s intimates and activewear line, Aerie. —Ali McCadden, CNBC, 29 May 2025
Verb
The president has intimated that the Zaporizhzhia power plant, Europe’s biggest nuclear facility, as well as land — Ukraine controls part of the Russian region of Kursk, while Russia holds several regions of Ukraine — will be up for discussion. —Astha Rajvanshi, NBC News, 18 Mar. 2025 Shapiro intimated that has spoken to the Sixers about Bailey. —Jack Magruder, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for intimate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intimate
  1. close
  2. confidential
  3. friend
  4. indicate
  5. familiar
  6. private
  7. buddy
  8. imply
Adjective
  • Sonic internet plans: A guide Here's a closer look at Sonic internet offerings: Sonic Fusion Fiber 1 Gigabit Sonic's Fusion Fiber 1 GB plan is the slowest plan option, but speeds are still fast enough for high internet usage.
    — Kara McGinley, USA Today, 22 July 2025
  • This is a beautiful fish, much more colorful and brighter overall than its close cousin, the bluegill, which anglers love.
    — Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 22 July 2025
Definition of close
Adjective
  • State police also launched an internal probe into the lead homicide detective, Michael Proctor, who was fired for sharing confidential information with civilians outside of law enforcement and drinking on the job.
    — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2025
  • Instead of attempting to gain public trust through transparency, Musk’s company is currently pressing federal regulators to bury its robotaxi safety record, claiming the data must remain confidential for business reasons.
    — Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 20 July 2025
Definition of confidential
Noun
  • The new installment follows a group of high school friends (Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Sarah Pidgeon and Tyriq Withers) who cause a fatal car wreck on the fourth of July and swear to keep their involvement a secret.
    — Angelique Jackson, Variety, 15 July 2025
  • Doing kind things for friends can be mutually beneficial.
    — Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 15 July 2025
Definition of friend
Verb
  • In January, Baldwin indicated that the company was willing to take additional steps to address some of the local concerns.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 15 July 2025
  • That could change, however, if the work stoppage continues for several more days, officials indicated during a special City Council meeting Monday.
    — Tammy Murga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 July 2025
Definition of indicate
Adjective
  • The Blackpink superstar joined the F1 soundtrack, which is packed with familiar musicians across a variety of genres.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • Despite returning to its familiar franchises, the company isn’t giving up on original storytelling.
    — David Sims, The Atlantic, 15 July 2025
Definition of familiar
Adjective
  • Spelman will be cremated in a private ceremony Thursday, his family said.
    — Emiliano Tahui Gómez, Austin American Statesman, 25 July 2025
  • The works on display once formed the largest private collection in the country, but now belong to the National Gallery of Iceland.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 24 July 2025
Definition of private
Noun
  • One person close to Lutnick compared his style to that of Steve Witkoff, Trump’s golf buddy turned special envoy, who has been dispatched to broker an end to the hostilities in Ukraine and Gaza.
    — Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 21 July 2025
  • Meanwhile, Trump's current VP, JD Vance, joined him on the defensive on Thursday evening, decrying the most recent link between Trump and Epstein: a Wall Street Journal exclusive that revealed a lewd birthday message Trump allegedly wrote to his billionaire buddy.
    — Meredith Kile, People.com, 18 July 2025
Definition of buddy
Verb
  • What distinguishes them from other kinds of higher-ed institutions is their first priority, which is, as their name implies, research.
    — Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 21 July 2025
  • At the first Coldplay concert since the apparent infidelity incident, Martin gently reminded the audience that their attendance implies an understanding that they may be filmed.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 21 July 2025
Definition of imply

Browse Nearby Words

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intimate
intimated
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Cite this Entry

“Intimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intimate. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of intimate for Spanish Speakers

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