acquaintance

USAGE SUMMARY

'acquaintance' is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it to refer to a person that you know but do not consider to be a close friend. For example: "I recently met a new acquaintance at the party last night."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

As the Bank struggles to find a way of controlling house prices without increasing interest rates and damaging the recovery, I am struck by a recent observation from my acquaintance Philipp Hildebrand, former governor of the Swiss Central Bank.

The Guardian - Business

In an interesting essay on Crane's religious beliefs Gary Sloan quotes a comment the young writer made to an acquaintance: "I was a socialist for two weeks, but when a couple of socialists assured me I had no right to think differently from any other socialist and then quarrelled with each other about what socialism meant, I ran away".

The Guardian - Books

In what promises to be a shuddering game, in which Bale and Charlie Adam can renew acquaintance, Scotland's firepower may just give them the edge over a Welsh side missing Craig Bellamy.

The Guardian - Sport

He describes arranging a football game on the first weekend with the children of a black acquaintance the Murphys had made.

The Guardian

Sannikov managed to text an acquaintance, saying: "I'm being taken to the KGB".

The Guardian

After Berry acquired a gun from an unspecified acquaintance, satisfied police allegedly drove her to a Dunkin' Donuts and let her go without charge.

The Guardian

Naeem, an acquaintance in Qeshm, has been smuggling fuels like petrol to Dubai since he was 14. "It's been lucrative," he tells me.

The Guardian

After a while the acquaintance in Leicester asked him to leave, saying that he and his wife needed their privacy.

The Guardian

The athlete then managed to make contact with an acquaintance who initially agreed that he could stay with him and his wife in Leicester.

The Guardian

Although an acquaintance, who also happened to be a member of the Nazi party, had rung their doorbell at 7.30 that morning and warned them that their business was due to be attacked that evening, Mr and Mrs Izbicki had refused to be intimidated and had gone to work as normal.

The Guardian

After one minute of discussion, Gill – an acquaintance of the cyclist – arrives at the scene.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "acquaintance" to specifically denote a person you know, but not closely. It's more formal than "friend" but less distant than "stranger".

Common error

Avoid using "acquaintance" when you actually mean a close friend. "Acquaintance" implies a superficial or less intimate relationship.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "acquaintance" is as a noun. It refers to a person known to one, but usually not a close friend. Ludwig confirms its proper usage as a noun denoting a level of familiarity between individuals.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

33%

Science

32%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "acquaintance" functions as a noun, denoting a person known to someone, but not intimately. Ludwig AI confirms its correct grammatical standing and its common usage across various contexts. It is a neutral term, suitable for formal and informal communication, and is frequently found in news, business, and general discussions. While the word is commonly used, Ludwig's examples highlight the importance of not confusing it with "friend", as "acquaintance" implies a more superficial relationship. Consider alternatives such as "casual friend" or "associate" for nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

person I know

A simple and direct way to refer to someone familiar.

someone I've met

Emphasizes the act of having encountered the person before.

casual friend

Indicates a less formal and less deep connection than a close friend.

associate

Suggests a connection primarily through work or shared activities.

business contact

Highlights a professional relationship, suitable for formal settings.

contact

Emphasizes the ability to reach out to someone, often for business or informational purposes.

professional connection

Suggests a link formed through career or industry.

colleague

Specifically refers to someone you work with.

connection

A broad term indicating any form of relationship or link.

fellow

Indicates a person sharing a similar activity or status.

FAQs

How to use "acquaintance" in a sentence?

You can use "acquaintance" to refer to someone you know, but who is not a close friend. For example, "I ran into an acquaintance at the grocery store today".

What can I say instead of "acquaintance"?

You can use alternatives like "casual friend", "associate", or "contact" depending on the context.

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

"Acquaintance" refers to someone you know on a less intimate level than a "friend". A friend is someone you have a close, personal relationship with, while an acquaintance is someone you know casually.

Is it correct to say "mutual acquaintance"?

Yes, "mutual acquaintance" is a correct and common phrase. It refers to a person who is known by two or more people. For instance, "We discovered that we had a mutual acquaintance from college".