a former acquaintance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a former acquaintance" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to someone you used to know but are no longer in contact with. Example: "I ran into a former acquaintance at the coffee shop, and we reminisced about old times."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

That spring, in an altercation with a former acquaintance, Bailey was stabbed three times with a small pocketknife.

The New York Times - Sports

A former acquaintance told them, of Bob, "He was not a cardboard activist, he had real depth to him".

The New Yorker

Paul van de Grampel, a former acquaintance, told the Guardian: "Willem-Alexander has really grown and matured.

The Guardian

Take, for example, Leroy, a 72-year-old from North Dakota who hired PeopleSearch to find a former acquaintance, Sharon of Missouri.

The New York Times

Nabila Bakkatha, from the central Moroccan city of Benu Mellal, told CNN a former acquaintance had sold photographs of her to the press as she bore a passing similarity to Hasna Ait Boulahcen.

Independent

Batarfi's recollection is corroborated by Jamal Khashoggi, a former acquaintance of bin Laden's who is now an adviser to Prince Turki al-Faisal, the Saudi Ambassador to the United States.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

And in many parts of the border South, especially in the last two years of the war, your attacker or target was likely to be a former friend or acquaintance.

The New York Times

I'm Dillon Peña, a former friend and acquaintance of your daughter Christina.

Huffington Post

Gradually, it becomes clear that the man and the woman aren't strangers at all -- and their former acquaintance, only a decade past but seeming like a lifetime ago, begins to play out alongside the present.

Los Angeles Times

RICHMOND, Sept. 25 -- Virginia Sen. George Allen on Monday denied allegations by a college football teammate and another former acquaintance that the senator used a racial epithet to refer to blacks during and after his time at the University of Virginia in the early 1970s.

The Washington Post

But after their case was dismissed, new evidence was submitted in a separate dispute over the ownership of Facebook— Paul Ceglia, another former acquaintance of Mr Zuckerberg, says a development deal between the pair entitles him to a large chunk of the company.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a former acquaintance", consider the context and choose a word that best reflects the nature of the relationship. For example, "former colleague" is more appropriate in a professional context.

Common error

Avoid using "a former acquaintance" when "an acquaintance" suffices. The 'former' is only necessary if the past nature of the relationship is relevant to the sentence's meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a former acquaintance" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in referring to someone known in the past but not currently close, as demonstrated in many of the provided examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Wiki

16%

Science

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a former acquaintance" is a grammatically correct and usable English expression employed to denote someone known in the past but not presently close. Ludwig AI data indicates it is most commonly found in news and media contexts. While not overly formal, it maintains a neutral tone suitable for various settings. When writing, ensure the use of "a former acquaintance" is relevant and not simply redundant. Alternatives such as "a past acquaintance" or "someone I used to know" offer stylistic variations for similar meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

A past acquaintance

Uses "past" instead of "former", suggesting a time-based difference.

An old acquaintance

Replaces "former" with "old", implying a longer period since the acquaintance.

A one-time acquaintance

Emphasizes the limited duration of the acquaintance.

Someone I used to know

More informal and conversational, focusing on the act of knowing someone.

A previous associate

More formal, implying a professional or structured relationship.

A former colleague

Specifically indicates a past professional relationship.

An ex-associate

Shortened version of "former associate", less formal.

Someone I once knew

Emphasizes a past connection, slightly more distant.

A person from my past

Broadly refers to someone known in the past, not necessarily an acquaintance.

An individual I knew previously

Very formal and somewhat distant way of expressing a past acquaintance.

FAQs

How can I use "a former acquaintance" in a sentence?

You can use "a former acquaintance" to refer to someone you once knew but are no longer close to. For instance, "I ran into "a former acquaintance" at the grocery store today".

What's the difference between "a former acquaintance" and "an old friend"?

"A former acquaintance" implies a less close relationship that has ended, while "an old friend" suggests a close relationship that has lasted a long time. They are not interchangeable.

What can I say instead of "a former acquaintance"?

You can use alternatives like "a past acquaintance", "an old acquaintance", or "someone I used to know", depending on the context.

Is "a former acquaintance" formal or informal?

"A former acquaintance" is relatively neutral in tone. It's suitable for both formal and informal contexts, but more formal alternatives like "a previous associate" might be preferred in certain situations.