a friendly acquaintance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a friendly acquaintance" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe someone you know casually and have a positive relationship with, but not a close friendship. Example: "At the party, I ran into a friendly acquaintance from college, and we spent some time catching up."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

Roth and Bellow had developed something of a friendly acquaintance by the time "The Ghost Writer" was published, in 1979.

The New Yorker

If you're a regular, you know the dealer, who has dealt to you for many hours over the months, and probably already have a friendly acquaintance with two or three of the players.

The New York Times

December 3, 1994 Chris Kraus, a 39-year-old experimental filmmaker and Sylvère Lotringer, a 56-year old college professor from New York, have dinner with Dick ___, a friendly acquaintance of Sylvère's, at a sushi bar in Pasadena.

The Guardian - Books

Shortly after A View from a Hill appeared in the London Mercury in May 1925, MR James was contacted by the poet AE Housman, a friendly acquaintance and fellow Cambridge don.

The Guardian - Books

His predecessor in the job, Cardinal Furno, received a 10,000 euro monthly stipend, or about $12,000, said a former Vatican official who is a friendly acquaintance of Cardinal Furno.

The New York Times

The novel opens at the onset of an irrational obsession that will become its story, when "Chris Kraus, a 39-year-old experimental film-maker and Sylvère Lotringer, a 56-year-old college professor from New York, have dinner with Dick ___, a friendly acquaintance of Sylvère's, at a sushi bar in Pasadena".

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

He described a long and friendly acquaintance with the first President Bush and his wife, Barbara.

The New York Times

It could be a friend, coworker, relative or friendly acquaintance.

WikiHow

Several industry analysts have said that all things being equal, Mr. Zell would prefer to make a deal with Mr. Murdoch, noting the friendly acquaintance between them and the deal that they struck recently to make a Tribune television station an affiliate of News Corporation's Fox network.

The New York Times

And, it said, all things being equal, Tribune's owner, Samuel Zell, may prefer to make a deal with Mr. Murdoch, noting the friendly acquaintance between them and the deal that they struck recently to make a Tribune television station an affiliate of News Corporation's Fox network.

The New York Times

The grandmaster in residence, who is also the master of ceremonies, is played by Gerald Peary, who I am obliged and delighted to note is a fellow film critic and, as such, a friendly professional acquaintance of mine.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing relationships, be precise. "A friendly acquaintance" implies a positive but not intimate connection. Use it to differentiate from close friendships or mere professional contacts.

Common error

Avoid using "a friendly acquaintance" when describing a close friend or someone you know very well. It can downplay the depth of the connection and cause confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a friendly acquaintance" functions as a noun phrase, acting as a subject or object in a sentence. According to Ludwig AI, it describes a relationship that is positive but not deeply intimate. For example, "He is a friendly acquaintance of mine from work."

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Wiki

22%

Science

12%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a friendly acquaintance" is a grammatically correct and usable English expression, used to describe someone you know casually and share positive interactions with, but without the deep connection of a close friendship. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's suitable for describing relationships that are more than just professional but less than intimate. While not extremely common, it appears across various sources, notably in News & Media and Wiki contexts. When using this phrase, be mindful of accurately representing the relationship's depth to avoid miscommunication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

cordial acquaintance

Stresses the polite and pleasant nature of the interaction, but still not deeply personal.

amiable acquaintance

Similar to cordial, but emphasizes a generally agreeable and likeable quality.

casual acquaintance

Focuses on the lack of formality and depth in the relationship.

surface-level acquaintance

Emphasizes the lack of deep knowledge or emotional connection.

slight acquaintance

Emphasizes the minimal level of connection and familiarity.

passing acquaintance

Highlights the brief and transient nature of the relationship.

social acquaintance

Highlights the relationship is primarily within social settings.

business acquaintance

Narrows the context to professional relationships without personal ties.

neighborly acquaintance

Specifies the relationship stems from being neighbors, without necessarily being close friends.

professional contact

Highlights the professional nature of the relationship, focusing on work-related interactions.

FAQs

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

You can use "a friendly acquaintance" to describe someone you know and interact with pleasantly, but with whom you don't share a deep friendship. For example, "I bumped into "a friendly acquaintance" from my book club at the grocery store".

What's the difference between "a friendly acquaintance" and a friend?

"A friendly acquaintance" implies a more casual and less committed relationship than a friend. While you might enjoy interacting with "a friendly acquaintance", you likely don't share the same level of trust, emotional intimacy, or history as you would with a friend.

Are there situations where it's not appropriate to describe someone as "a friendly acquaintance"?

It might not be appropriate to use "a friendly acquaintance" when introducing someone you're very close to or when describing a relationship that's more intimate than casual. Using it in those scenarios could misrepresent the true nature of the bond.

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

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives such as "casual acquaintance", "cordial acquaintance", or "social acquaintance" to describe someone you know on a surface level and with whom you maintain a pleasant but not deep connection.