Synonyms for intimacy
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Closeness
closeness, intercourse, familiarity, friendship, acquaintance, communion, fellowship, association
2. Affair
3. Sexual intercourse
sexual intercourse, coitus formal, copulation, coupling, ass, love-making, coition, mating, carnal knowledge dated
Definitions
- n. 1
Feeling or atmosphere of closeness and openness towards someone else, often but not necessarily involving sexuality.
- n. 2
Intimate relationship.
- n. 3
Intimate detail, (item of) intimate information.
Related words
- Word family
- intimate intimation
Forms
- Plural
- intimacies → closenesses, intercourses, familiarities, friendships…
Choose the right word
So there may be association in business without intimacy or friendship. Acquaintance admits of many degrees, from a slight or passing to a familiar or intimate acquaintance; but acquaintance unmodified commonly signifies less than familiarity or intimacy.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- friendship Friendship is a plant which must be often watered.
- intercourse Rodrigo expressed his desire to have intercourse.
- familiarity Love's intensity can wane as familiarity grows.
- closeness I don't fear the closeness between different peoples.
- affair She seems to have something to do with the affair.
- involvement The taxi driver has an involvement in the robbery.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| intimacy | rising | |
| friendship | steady | |
| intercourse | steady | |
| familiarity | rising | |
| closeness | rising | |
| affair | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- ass1
- 5 letters
- amour2
- 6 letters
- affair2, mating2, coitus2
- 7 letters
- liaison3, affaire, coition
- 8 letters
- coupling2
- 9 letters
- communion3, closeness2
- 10 letters
- friendship2, fellowship3, copulation
- 11 letters
- association5, involvement3, intercourse3, familiarity5
- 12 letters
- acquaintance3
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (amour2 = 2 syllables).