a single acquaintance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a single acquaintance" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to one person you know casually or have met, emphasizing the singularity of the relationship. Example: "Out of all the people at the party, I only had a single acquaintance there, which made me feel a bit out of place."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"It's been about four years since we last met," Usher said on Friday night, addressing a sold-out audience as a single acquaintance.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

A poll by the Levada Centre found that 80% of respondents do not have a single gay acquaintance.

The Economist

I've heard countless stories about people fixing friends up with single acquaintances with the teaser, "You two are absolutely perfect for each other," only to have the fixed-ups meet and wonder what their friends were thinking.

Huffington Post

That means, per Patton, you should be frequenting your local house of worship for like-minded worshippers, harassing friends to set you up with single acquaintances, and emailing old college classmates to see if they're successful and marriage-worthy yet.

Huffington Post

The private language argument is intended to show that such subsequent facts could not be irrelevant, that no names could be private, and that the notion of having the true identity of a sensation revealed in a single act of acquaintance is a confusion.

SEP

Home's high society acquaintances thought that he behaved like a complete gentleman throughout the ordeal, and he did not lose a single important friend.

Wikipedia

We follow him through the course of a single day and make the acquaintance of his family and neighborhood -- a place where young kids have the run of things, where violence is rare, occurring only "in certain sections of the District... committed by adults and usually among criminals and mostly at night.

The New York Times - Books

First, their success in Chinese language learning is validated by their profession, which is more convincing than informal evaluation (e.g., recommendation by acquaintance) or a single proficiency test.

Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education

We can update our whole circle of friends, family and acquaintances with a single post on Facebook, have Whatsapp groups or participate in a conference and tweet our reactions to the speaker to an audience of unknown co-tweeters.

Huffington Post

But I also wasn't able, among all the parents of my acquaintance, to find a single one who didn't think my plan was both quixotic and doomed.

The New York Times

While adjusting to being a single father, I would occasionally tell new acquaintances about the birth of Tia.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a single acquaintance" when you want to emphasize that you know only one person in a particular group or context, highlighting the limited nature of your connection.

Common error

Avoid using "a single acquaintance" if the context doesn't require emphasizing isolation or limited connection; simply saying "an acquaintance" may suffice to maintain a more neutral tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a single acquaintance" functions as a noun phrase, specifically as the object of a verb or preposition. It identifies a person known casually, emphasizing the limited number of connections.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Wiki

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a single acquaintance" is a grammatically sound noun phrase used to denote knowing only one person casually within a larger context. According to Ludwig, its primary function is to emphasize a limited social connection, often implying a degree of isolation. While the phrase is relatively rare, appearing most frequently in News & Media, it serves to precisely convey a lack of familiarity or extensive social network. When aiming for clarity and emphasis on minimal connection, "a single acquaintance" is a suitable choice, as confirmed by its presence in reputable sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

one acquaintance

Replaces "a single" with "one", emphasizing the numerical aspect of having only one acquaintance.

just one acquaintance

Adds emphasis to the fact that there is only one acquaintance.

merely an acquaintance

Highlights the casual or unimportant nature of the relationship.

a casual acquaintance

Specifies the type of acquaintance as being casual or not close.

a slight acquaintance

Indicates a minimal level of familiarity.

a passing acquaintance

Suggests a brief or superficial connection.

a distant acquaintance

Implies a lack of closeness or regular contact.

a nodding acquaintance

Refers to someone you only know well enough to nod to.

a mere acquaintance

Emphasizes the insignificance of the connection.

a superficial acquaintance

Highlights the lack of depth in the relationship.

FAQs

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

You can use "a single acquaintance" to emphasize knowing only one person within a group. For example, "At the conference, I only had "a single acquaintance", making it difficult to network effectively."

What are some alternatives to "a single acquaintance"?

Alternatives include "one acquaintance", "a casual acquaintance", or "a slight acquaintance", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "a single acquaintance" or "one acquaintance"?

Both are grammatically correct. "A single acquaintance" emphasizes the singularity and potential isolation, while "one acquaintance" simply states the numerical quantity. The choice depends on the intended emphasis.

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

"A single acquaintance" refers to someone you know casually, with limited interaction or connection. "A close friend", on the other hand, implies a deep, trusting, and supportive relationship.