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Prepositions after adjectives

Intimate: with, of, in, to, or for?

Intimate is most commonly followed by with for close familiarity. Intimate to appears in formal contexts for something essential or closely connected.

Quick answer

Which prepositions are used with intimate?

Use intimate with for close knowledge or personal familiarity. Intimate to is formal and means closely connected or essential to something. Intimate of, intimate in, and intimate for are generally uncommon after the adjective.

She is intimate with the local culture.
The ritual is intimate to their traditions.
He became intimate with the software system.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
intimate with + person/topic

Showing close familiarity

Intimate with describes detailed knowledge or a close personal relationship.

The lawyer is intimate with the case history.
After years abroad, she remained intimate with her childhood friends.
2
intimate to + thing/system

Showing a deep connection

Intimate to is formal and means closely linked or essential to something.

These customs are intimate to rural life.
Trust is intimate to successful teamwork.
3
be on intimate terms with + person

Describing a close relationship

English often uses the phrase on intimate terms with for personal closeness.

She was on intimate terms with the family.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
intimate with
He is intimate with the details of the project.
standard for close familiarity or knowledge
intimate of
Intimate of the subject sounds unnatural in standard English.
generally incorrect after intimate
intimate in
They were intimate in private conversations.
in can introduce circumstances, not a fixed adjective pattern
intimate to
The practice is intimate to the community's identity.
formal expression meaning closely connected
intimate for
Intimate for this purpose is not idiomatic English.
generally incorrect after intimate

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using intimate of instead of intimate with

With is the normal preposition for familiarity or close knowledge.

✕ She is intimate of the process. ✓ She is intimate with the process.

Overusing intimate to in everyday speech

Intimate to is formal and less common in conversation.

✓ He is closely connected to the project.

Confusing intimate with romantic only

Intimate with can describe knowledge and familiarity, not only personal relationships.

✓ The engineer is intimate with the system design.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She is intimate ___ the history of the region.
2. The ceremony is intimate ___ local tradition.
3. Which sentence is most natural?

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Frequently asked questions

Does intimate with always mean romantic?

No. It can also mean very familiar with details, systems, or subjects.

Is intimate to old-fashioned?

It is formal and literary, but it still appears in careful writing.

Can I use intimate in?

Only when in belongs to the wider sentence, not as a regular adjective pattern.

ideal-for-in-as-at, from "identical to" or "identical with"? identifiable by, as, with, in or to? "idle for" or "idle in"? ignorant of, about, to, in or on? "illegal in" or "illegal for"? illustrative of, in, rather or for? ill with, in, for, at or of? "immune to" or "immune from"? "impatient with" or "impatient for"? "imperative for" or "imperative to"? impervious to, from or in?

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