✅ Familiar is the best word to describe something or someone you know well and are close to (It’s nice to see a familiar face).
✅ Intimate is the best word to describe a close relationship, based on affection, sympathy, or common interests (They quickly became intimate friends).
✅ Intimate suggests affection in a relationship, either platonic or romantic, and a strong emotional sympathy and connection. Familiar suggests a slightly less emotionally connected relationship, implying closeness without necessarily suggesting a high degree of affection (Intimate letters; We were familiar for a while).
✅ Familiar is also commonly used to refer to someone who is presumptuous, and acts in a more intimate way than they should (She was very familiar with me).
We hope we’re not being too familiar if we suggest you check out these intimate synonyms.
✅ Plenty refers to enough of something to comfortably meet demand (we have plenty of space).
✅ Profusion refers to an extravagant and excessive amount of something (a profusion of shoes).
✅ Plenty suggests having enough to result in a reasonable amount left over, or enough to not be concerned (There’s plenty of water here for everyone).
✅ A less frequent and more formal word, profusion suggests having more of something than you could reasonably get through, or having far more than you could ever need or use (a profusion of supplies).
Take a look at this profusion of synonyms!
✅ Real is the best word to describe innate or actual characteristics of something, as opposed to fake, falsified, or fictional characteristics (real life; real problems).
✅ Genuine refers to something that has the characteristics it is claimed to have (a genuine Van Gogh painting).
✅ Real is the most general of the two words. Real describes something actual (It’s weird that we have real robots in our homes). Genuine often implies the existence of fake, knock-off, or imitation versions of the thing described (a genuine diamond ring).
✅ A real person refers to a person who actually exists, as opposed to a fictional person, but can also refer to someone who is honest and true. A genuine person only refers to a sincere person, as opposed to a hypocritical person (usually described as false or fake).