Synonyms and antonyms of Words used to describe relations and relationships in British Thesaurus

acquainted (adjective)

formal if two people are acquainted, they know each other, usually not very well

a hungry mouth (to feed) ()

someone who is depending on you to provide food

an old friend/ally/enemy etc ()

someone who has been your friend/ally/enemy etc for a very long time

an old student/girlfriend etc ()

someone who was your student/girlfriend etc in the past

arm’s-length (adjective)

used for describing something such as a business deal in which the different sides avoid having a close relationship with each other

(as) thick as thieves ()

people who are thick as thieves are very friendly with each other and spend a lot of time together talking about private things

at arm’s length ()

in a situation where you avoid dealing with or becoming involved with someone else

be on good/bad/friendly etc terms ()

to have a good, bad, or friendly relationship with someone

the best of friends ()

very close friends

brittle (adjective)

a brittle relationship or situation is not very strong and could easily be damaged

broken (adjective)

a broken relationship has failed

bromantic (adjective)

humorous typical of or relating to a very close friendship between two men

brotherly (adjective)

typical of the feelings that a man or boy has for his male friends

chummy (adjective)

informal old-fashioned chummy people are friendly with each other, especially in a way that stops other people from joining the group

clannish (adjective)

concentrating on people in your own family or group and not wanting other people to join it

close (adjective)

connected by shared interests and shared feelings such as love and respect

close (adjective)

used about relationships

close (adjective)

directly involved with someone and communicating with them a lot, especially as part of your job

close (adjective)

used about activities or relationships

connected (adjective)

used about people who have a social, business, or family relationship

cosy (adjective)

a cosy relationship, in business or politics, involves people who seem to be using their relationship in a dishonest way to get benefits for each other

cozy ()

the American spelling of cosy

dysfunctional (adjective)

dysfunctional relationships do not work normally and are not happy or successful

estranged (adjective)

mainly journalism not seeing friends or relatives very often, especially because of having fought with them

fragile (adjective)

used about a situation, agreement, or relationship that can easily be damaged or destroyed

fraternal (adjective)

belonging to brothers, or between brothers

fraternal (adjective)

between friends or people who share the same interests or opinions

friendly (adjective)

if you are friendly with someone, you are their friend

get along/on famously ()

to have a very friendly relationship with someone

go back (spoken)

spoken if two people go back a particular period of time, they have known each other for that period of time

have (verb)

used for stating the relationship between someone and their family members

have (verb)

used for stating the relationship between someone and their friends, enemies, people they work with etc

have a nodding acquaintance with someone/be on nodding terms with someone ()

to know someone well enough to say ‘hello’ to them, but not know them very well

heavy (adjective)

a heavy situation or relationship is serious and often not enjoyable

illicit (adjective)

an illicit relationship, activity, or situation is one that people do not approve of

immediate (adjective)

someone in an immediate relationship to you is closely connected to you

inseparable (adjective)

people who are inseparable have a very close relationship and spend all their time together

interpersonal (adjective)

involving relationships between people

intimate (adjective)

an intimate friend is someone who you know very well and like very much

intimate (adjective)

an intimate relationship is a very close personal relationship, especially a sexual one

intimate (adjective)

formal relating to sex or to a sexual relationship

long-lost (adjective)

a long-lost person, especially a relative, is someone who you have not seen for a long time

loveless (adjective)

without love

maternal (adjective)

a maternal relative is related to you through your mother

matrilineal (adjective)

formal used for describing the mother’s side of a family and the relations on that side

monogamous (adjective)

having only one husband, wife, or sexual relationship at a time

mouth (noun)

someone who you have to provide food for

not on speaking terms ()

if two people are not on speaking terms, they are very angry with each other and will not talk to each other

one-sided (adjective)

in a one-sided relationship, one person does more than the other person or shows more love than the other person

one-to-one (adjective)

a one-to-one relationship involves equal amounts or equal numbers of two things

one-way (adjective)

a one-way relationship, agreement etc is one in which only one of the people involved tries to make it succeed

on the right/wrong side of someone ()

if you are on the right or wrong side of someone, they like/do not like you

patriarchal (adjective)

typical of a patriarch

patrilineal (adjective)

formal used for describing the father’s side of a family and the relations on that side

personal (adjective)

involving a direct relationship between two people who know each other

personally (adverb)

as a result of having met someone or of having a relationship with them, usually a friendly one

platonic (adjective)

a platonic relationship is one that is friendly but does not involve sex

political (adjective)

relating to relationships of power that exist between people in an organization

related (adjective)

having the same origins and belonging to the same group

rocky (adjective)

informal a rocky relationship, situation, or period of time is one in which there are a lot of problems

same-sex (adjective)

used for referring to sexual relationships involving either two men or two women

serious (adjective)

if you are in a serious romantic relationship with someone, you intend to stay together for a long time

sexual (adjective)

concerning relationships between men and women, or the way that people think men and women should behave

shifting (adjective)

shifting things such as standards or relationships are always changing

sororal (adjective)

very formal relating to or like a sister or sisters

strong (adjective)

strong relationships are close and firmly established

suited (adjective)

if two people are suited, they are likely to have a successful relationship

thick (adjective)

spoken very friendly with someone

tight (adjective)

a tight group of people have a close relationship with each other

unstable (adjective)

an unstable system, situation, or relationship often has serious problems

warming (noun)

the process of becoming more friendly