acquaintances
People you recognize
Acquaintances are people you know but not well—somewhere between strangers and friends.
The relationship implies recognition and perhaps occasional interaction without deep familiarity or emotional closeness: We're acquaintances, not friends.
To make someone's acquaintance is to meet them for the first time.
A passing acquaintance suggests only slight familiarity with a person or subject.
Professional associates
- neighborsThose dwelling nearby
- coworkersPeople at same job
- classmatesStudents in same course
- associatesConnected persons or links
contacts · peers · networking · small talk · familiar faces · social circle · gym buddies · regulars
Perceiving something as known
- awarenessState of perceiving reality
- distantFar away or aloof
- peripheralExternal computer add-on
- strangersPeople unknown to you
fleeting · impersonal · detached · arm's length · superficial
Loose social connections
- outer circleSecondary social contacts
- fair-weatherUnreliable when challenged
- plus-onesGuests of guests
- followersPeople who support someone
colleagues
Professional associates
- neighborsThose dwelling nearby
- coworkersPeople at same job
- classmatesStudents in same course
associates · contacts · peers · networking · small talk · familiar faces · social circle · gym buddies · regulars · commuters
recognition
Perceiving something as known
- awarenessState of perceiving reality
- distantFar away or aloof
- peripheralExternal computer add-on
strangers · fleeting · impersonal · detached · arm's length · superficial
weak ties
Loose social connections
- outer circleSecondary social contacts
- fair-weatherUnreliable when challenged
- plus-onesGuests of guests
- peoplepeople, persons, person, individuals, humans
- contactsfriend, family, contact list, neighbor, phone book
- social contactsfriends, contacts, buddies, connections, followers
- social tiesfriends, pals, buddies, mates, companions
- populacethe masses, common folk, ordinary people, general public, hoi polloi
- relationshipsfriends, romantic, family, friend, flirting
acquaintancesintimates
Closest friends or implies
close friends · strangers · best friends · confidants · loved ones
acquaintancesenemies
Hostile opposing parties
antagonists · adversaries · foes · nemeses · rivals
- nodding acquaintanceMinimal social connection
- casual acquaintance
- renew acquaintancesResume lapsed social ties
- acquaintance rapeSexual assault by someone familiar
- make someone's acquaintanceBe formally introduced
- chance acquaintanceSomeone met coincidentally