Choose the Right Synonym for intimate

Verb

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 See More

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Some wineries are large, others smaller and more intimate, and some few with beer or cider offered as well. — Roger Sands, Forbes, 11 July 2022 But the family also had some more intimate events throughout the weekend for just their friends and family, which Ree detailed in her blog. — Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE.com, 7 July 2022 Romney is one of only a handful of people with direct, intimate experience of pushing the delusional claims of climate denial on voters. — Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 5 July 2022 Medrano has always understood how mariachi music can unlock people’s most intimate emotions. — Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 27 June 2022 Our tour leader told us that the trip had been based at a hotel in the center of town before the pandemic, but our little neighborhood offered a more intimate side of city life without sacrificing convenience. — Nancy Nathan, Washington Post, 23 June 2022 Rather than doing that, use those obstacles as opportunities to become more intimate. — Jason Stahl, SPIN, 23 June 2022 Changing someone’s mind through the mechanism of novel-reading (which takes hours!) is both an intimate and a hostile act. — Kristen Roupenian, The New Yorker, 20 June 2022 The project also added a smaller, more intimate, second soundstage in the back, which holds 50 people and hosts a variety of live performances. — Arkansas Online, 20 June 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The pop star married her longtime boyfriend in an intimate, at-home wedding last Thursday. — Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 13 June 2022 Gracious, intelligent and blessed with boyish good looks, Mr. Hawkins became a fixture on the elite party circuit and an intimate of its prime movers. — New York Times, 30 Mar. 2022 To kick off New York Fashion Week, Saks Fifth Avenue hosted an intimate—but star-studded—dinner at its sceney midtown restaurant, L’Avenue. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 11 Feb. 2022 The conversation tacks back and forth from the intimate to the existential. — Kathryn Schulz, The New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2022 Themes of race, religion, class, and education appear throughout this ambitious novel, but its abiding focus is on the intimate, and the way broader social forces can impinge upon it. — Claire Messud, Harper's Magazine, 28 Sep. 2021 Under such a guise, I was granted an intimate, if narrow, view into the lives of strangers. — Lizzie Widdicombe, The New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2021 With these two venues — one intimate and indoors, the other larger and outdoors, both superior in aesthetic quality — San Diego is now home to two of the finest music venues in the nation. — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Aug. 2021 Grande, 28, married Dalton Gomez on May 15 during an intimate, at-home ceremony with less than 20 people in attendance, the singer's rep told PEOPLE at the time. — Benjamin Vanhoose, PEOPLE.com, 22 July 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Venues range from the 1,200-seat Zeiterion Theatre to intimate shows in Seaman’s Bethel. — Lauren Daley, BostonGlobe.com, 4 July 2022 Shugrue dos Santos says research shows criminal responses to intimate partner violence have not lessened rates. — Alia E. Dastagir, USA TODAY, 15 June 2022 Over 400 chefs, beverage producers and food personalities will partake in over 90 events this year ranging from walk-around tastings to masterclasses to intimate sit-down dinners. — Cheryl Tiu, Forbes, 1 Feb. 2022 Many events from food festivals to intimate tasting sessions will be held throughout the year. — David Nikel, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2022 DJs would intimate that this was a new British band. — Sam Whiting, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Nov. 2021 Act 1 is the 1939 May Co. department store made over into the Saban Building, airy home for exhibition galleries, restaurant, store and intimate below-ground theater. — Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2021 What would truly intimate, loving and pleasurable encounters or relationships with men actually look like? — Vicky Spratt, refinery29.com, 25 June 2021 Public health lockdowns were the last thing the industry — from big, corporate cineplexes to intimate art houses — needed, said Jeff Bock, senior media analyst at Exhibitor Relations, which tracks the performance of films and other media. — James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2021 See More

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.

History and Etymology for intimate

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

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