common acquaintance

USAGE SUMMARY

"common acquaintance" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to refer to someone that both you and another person know. For example, "We both had a common acquaintance in Bill, so we talked about him for a while."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

"Thanks to a common acquaintance, I contacted Alisher," Mr. Milner said in the Vedomosti interview.

The New York Times

First, I'll find out from you, if you've reached a certain level in business, whether you and I have a common acquaintance.

The New York Times

The New Yorker, October 25 , 1941P. 11 A man came into the office of an architect & told him that he had been advised by a common acquaintance (whose name he had forgotten for the moment) to come to this architect whenever he had a good tip on the horses; all he wanted was just coffee and cakes.

The New Yorker

A man came into the office of an architect & told him that he had been advised by a common acquaintance (whose name he had forgotten for the moment) to come to this architect whenever he had a good tip on the horses; all he wanted was just coffee and cakes.

The New Yorker

By Leon R. Levy and Russell Maloney The New Yorker, October 25 , 1941P. 11 A man came into the office of an architect & told him that he had been advised by a common acquaintance (whose name he had forgotten for the moment) to come to this architect whenever he had a good tip on the horses; all he wanted was just coffee and cakes.

The New Yorker

Suppose three friends need to decide whether to buy a present for a common acquaintance.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Motion picture stars have always occupied a special village of celebrity, where they perform the great service of giving the residents of an urban and mobile planet some common acquaintances to gossip about.

The New York Times

Then he got down to the business of the day: signing books and being the famously garrulous Mario Cuomo, chatting with everyone -- about politics, growing up in Queens, common acquaintances, bocce.

The New York Times

Thus, clustering is defined as the number of common acquaintances; the thickness of the arrow connecting two nodes points to the number of triangular connections.

European Journal of Futures Research

The prediction would be more likely caused by a combination of factors such as mutual interests, spatial presence at certain times, common acquaintances.

Computational Social Networks

For Instance, two persons being friends depend not just only on whether they share the same interests but also on other aspects such as time spent together, common acquaintances, and various other factors.

Computational Social Networks

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When you and someone you've just met discover a "common acquaintance", leverage that connection to facilitate conversation and build rapport.

Common error

Avoid overstating the closeness of a "common acquaintance". Clearly establish the nature of the relationship before assuming a level of familiarity that may not exist. For example, clarify if they are a close friend, casual colleague, or merely someone you've met briefly.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "common acquaintance" functions as a noun phrase identifying a person known by two or more individuals. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is grammatically correct. Examples show its use in describing social connections and relationships.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "common acquaintance" refers to a person known by two or more individuals, establishing a shared social connection. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. While "common acquaintance" is relatively uncommon compared to phrases like "mutual friend", it effectively conveys the concept of a shared, though perhaps not deeply personal, link. It's essential to clarify the nature of the relationship with the "common acquaintance" to avoid assumptions of familiarity. This phrase finds its use across diverse contexts, including news, science, and general discussions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

shared acquaintance

Swaps "common" with "shared" to indicate the acquaintance is known to both parties.

common contact

A direct synonym, replacing "acquaintance" with "contact".

mutual friend

Emphasizes the friendly connection that two people share.

mutual connection

Emphasizes the relational aspect that's shared.

shared contact

Highlights the aspect of contact or communication that is shared.

joint connection

Focuses on the connection itself being jointly held.

person known to both

A more descriptive way of saying they both know the individual.

link between us

Highlights the acquaintance as a connecting link.

shared social tie

Emphasizes the social relationship and its shared nature.

common social link

This focuses on the acquaintance serving as a social connector for both individuals.

FAQs

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

You can use "common acquaintance" to indicate that two or more people know the same person. For example, "We discovered we had a "common acquaintance", which led to an interesting conversation."

What is a more formal way to say "common acquaintance"?

A more formal alternative to "common acquaintance" is "mutual contact" or "shared connection", which emphasizes the formal nature of the relationship.

Is "common acquaintance" the same as "mutual friend"?

While similar, "common acquaintance" implies a less close relationship than "mutual friend". An acquaintance is someone you know, but not necessarily well, whereas a friend implies a closer bond.

What are some situations where I might use the term "common acquaintance"?

You might use "common acquaintance" when introducing two people who both know someone, when explaining how you met someone through another person, or when discussing shared connections in a social or professional context.