Word
intimacy
Phoneticsin·ti·ma·cy, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɪntəməsi/
UK/ˈɪntɪməsi/
Definitions
01emotional closeness
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. a feeling of being very close to someone and being able to share your private thoughts with them.
n. a state of close emotional connection and mutual understanding between individuals.
“The long walk by the lake allowed for a rare moment of intimacy between the two friends.”
“True emotional intimacy requires a level of vulnerability that many people find difficult to achieve even in long-term partnerships.”
Antonyms
02physical or romantic closeness
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. a close romantic or sexual relationship with another person.
n. the state of being in a private, often sexual or romantic, relationship.
“They struggled to maintain their intimacy while working in different cities.”
“The film explores the complexities of physical intimacy and how it evolves over decades of marriage.”
03private details
C1 · Advanced Plural noun Literary · Formal
n. private or personal details about someone's life.
n. private or personal information, often shared in confidence. Usually used in the plural form.
“After a few glasses of wine, they began to share the small intimacies of their childhoods.”
“The biographer was criticised for revealing the private intimacies of the poet's life without the family's consent.”
Usage
Often used in the plural form 'intimacies'.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“The level of intimacy is such that “I call her mum, because she cooks for me”.” “Our research suggested that a desire for intimacy with friends wasn’t specific to wanting only close relationships with a few friends.” Etymology
From intimate + -cy.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 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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