a shared acquaintance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a shared acquaintance" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a person that both you and someone else know. Example: "I was surprised to learn that we have a shared acquaintance from college."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Strong links tend to increase more slowly than weak ones, since people have common close friends more often than they share acquaintances.

SEP

In a further sort of exodus, American Jews have moved: from poverty to affluence, tradition to modernity, acquaintance with a shared history to loss of collective memory.

The New York Times

Make anyone who shares an acquaintance, if not a friend.

WikiHow

I shared an "acquaintance-period" of five weeks with the guy who gave this to me.

Vice

An acquaintance shared a piece of bread and a bottle of water with Faridah.

The New York Times

The first criterion was 'acquaintance distance' the number of steps between the delegates on the collaboration graph based on their shared previous acquaintances.

eLife

He found it stressful to keep up mortgage payments on a single income, even though he had urged his wife not to work, said Dr. M. Saud Anwar, a pulmonologist in Connecticut who shares acquaintances with Mr. Shahzad.

The New York Times

From an initial feeling of loneliness and discomfort, the group becomes space for meeting, sharing, understanding, acquaintance, and friendship: "I realized I needed to talk, to share with others, to listen to their stories".

BioMed Research International

The network consists of 34 actors whose common activity is a Karate club, edges are weighted by the level of acquaintance shared by actors beyond the club.

Computational Social Networks

Now and then, we'd run into some friend or acquaintance from a previous trip and sit in a café, sharing a beer.

The New Yorker

With the same old New Jersey warmth, she said, "kaifa ha luk," an Arabic phrase meaning, "How are you?" When my wife expressed in fluent English that she could not speak Arabic, her new acquaintance shared that she had lived in the United Arab Emirates and had Muslim friends.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a shared acquaintance" to subtly indicate a pre-existing connection, which can foster trust or understanding in a conversation. This is particularly useful in professional settings where establishing common ground is important.

Common error

Avoid overstating the significance of the relationship. An "acquaintance" implies a casual connection, not a deep friendship. Using the phrase in situations where a closer relationship is implied can lead to misunderstandings or false assumptions.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a shared acquaintance" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the object of a verb or preposition. It identifies a person known by two or more individuals, indicating a connection between them.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

News & Media

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Science

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Wiki

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Less common in

Formal & Business

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Encyclopedias

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Reference

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a shared acquaintance" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase in written English, employed to denote a person known by two or more individuals. While Ludwig suggests the phrase is correct, there are currently no direct examples of its usage within the Ludwig database. The phrase's purpose is typically to establish common ground or highlight a pre-existing connection, making it particularly useful in settings where building rapport is essential. Alternatives such as "a mutual acquaintance" or "someone we both know" offer similar meanings, but "acquaintance" itself implies a more casual connection than a close friendship.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a mutual acquaintance

Replaces "shared" with "mutual", emphasizing the reciprocity of the acquaintance.

a common acquaintance

Uses "common" to indicate that the acquaintance is known to both parties.

an acquaintance in common

Slightly rearranges the words while maintaining the meaning.

someone we both know

Simplifies the phrase to a more direct and informal expression.

a person known to both of us

A more formal and descriptive way of saying the same thing.

a mutual contact

Uses "contact" to refer to someone known for professional or networking reasons.

a connection we both have

Replaces "acquaintance" with "connection", broadening the relationship type.

an associate we share

Uses "associate" to imply a more professional relationship.

someone from our network

Focuses on the network aspect of the relationship.

a person we both interact with

Highlights the interaction aspect of the acquaintance.

FAQs

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

You can use "a shared acquaintance" to introduce a common link between two or more people. For example, "I was surprised to learn that we have "a shared acquaintance" from college."

What are some alternatives to "a shared acquaintance"?

Alternatives include "a mutual friend", "a common contact", or "someone we both know", depending on the context and the nature of the relationship.

Is it better to say "a shared acquaintance" or "a mutual acquaintance"?

Both ""a shared acquaintance"" and "a mutual acquaintance" are correct, but "a mutual friend" is more common. "Mutual" emphasizes the reciprocal nature of the acquaintance, while "shared" simply indicates that both parties know the person.

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

An acquaintance is someone you know casually, while a friend is someone with whom you have a closer, more meaningful relationship. Using ""a shared acquaintance"" implies a less intimate connection than "a mutual friend".