Word
acquainted
Phoneticsac·quaint·ed, stress on the second syllable
US/əˈkweɪnɪd/
UK/ɐkwˈeɪntɪd/
Definitions
01knowing a person
B2 · Upper Intermediate Formal
adj. knowing someone personally, but not as a close friend.
adj. personally known to one another; describes a relationship that is more than a stranger but less than a close friend.
“We are acquainted through work, but we have never met for coffee.”
“Although they had been professionally acquainted for several years, they had never discussed matters outside of their immediate legal cases.”
Usage
Often used in the phrase 'become acquainted with'.
Antonyms
02knowing a subject
B2 · Upper Intermediate Formal
adj. having knowledge or information about a particular topic or situation.
adj. having personal or shared knowledge of a subject, situation, or fact; typically follows the verb 'to be' or 'to get'.
“You should get acquainted with the safety rules before using the machine.”
“The new manager spent her first week getting acquainted with the company's complex internal filing system.”
Usage
Requires the preposition 'with' when followed by an object.
Pitfall
I am acquainted to the new rules.
I am acquainted with the new rules.
Always use the preposition 'with' after acquainted when describing what you know.
Real-World Examples
“Readers acquainted with Miéville’s other work might be disconcerted by the first hundred pages: broadly speaking, they are social realism.” “The really vigorous moulds escape frequently in this way.”
Hearing all this made me want to get acquainted with Physarum myself.” - Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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