acquaintance

/əˈkweɪntəns/noun

Someone you know slightly but who is not a close friend.

Example sentences

“He's just an acquaintance from work, not really a friend.”
“I ran into an old acquaintance from college at the grocery store yesterday.”

Fills the gap between stranger and friend. "Make someone's acquaintance" is a formal, slightly old-fashioned way to say you met them.

Synonyms for acquaintance

associate
contact

Related words

strangerSomeone you have never met and do not know at all.companionA person or animal that spends time with you or travels alongside you; a friend or partner.heritageThe traditions, values, and customs handed down within families or communities from earlier generations.roommateSomeone you share a room or living space with, for example in a dormitory or apartment.reunionAn organized gathering where people who have been apart, such as family or old classmates, come together again.infantA baby; a child in the earliest stage of life who still needs care around the clock.