Acquaintance is the correct spelling. Acquaintence is incorrect.
Use acquaintance when you mean a person you know, but not very well.
Correct: She is an old acquaintance from college.
Incorrect: She is an old acquaintence from college.
You can also use acquaintance to mean knowledge or familiarity with something.
Correct: He has some acquaintance with local history.
Incorrect: He has some acquaintence with local history.
The spelling tip is simple: acquaintance ends in -ance, not -ence.
What Acquaintance Means
Acquaintance is a noun. It has two main meanings.
The most common meaning is a person you know slightly, but not closely.
Example: I ran into an acquaintance from work at the grocery store.
It can also mean knowledge, experience, or familiarity with a subject. This use sounds more formal.
Example: She has a basic acquaintance with Spanish.
In everyday American English, the person meaning is more common. The knowledge meaning often appears in more formal writing.
Is Acquaintence A Word?
Acquaintence is not a standard English word.
It is a misspelling of acquaintance. The error comes from using the wrong ending.
Incorrect: acquaintence
Correct: acquaintance
The correct word ends with -ance.
Do not use acquaintence in essays, emails, resumes, captions, reports, or published writing.
Why People Misspell Acquaintance As Acquaintence
People often misspell acquaintance because -ance and -ence sound similar.
The word is usually pronounced like uh-KWAYN-tuhns. When you say it out loud, the ending does not clearly tell you which spelling to use.
That is why some writers choose -ence by mistake.
The correct ending is:
-ance
Not:
-ence
So the correct spelling is always:
acquaintance
Acquaintance Vs Acquaintence At A Glance
| Word | Correct? | Meaning | Use It? |
|---|---|---|---|
| acquaintance | Yes | A person you know slightly; also familiarity with something | Yes |
| acquaintence | No | No standard meaning; misspelling of acquaintance | No |
The difference is not about American vs British English. It is not a casual vs formal spelling. Acquaintance is the correct form, and acquaintence is a typo.
Friend Vs Acquaintance
A friend is someone you know well and usually have a closer personal relationship with.
An acquaintance is someone you have met or know, but not deeply.
Example: Maya is my friend; we talk every week.
Example: Jordan is an acquaintance; we met at a conference once.
An acquaintance is not a stranger, but also not usually a close friend.
Use acquaintance when the relationship is polite, light, distant, professional, or not very personal.
How To Use Acquaintance In A Sentence
Use acquaintance for a person you know slightly.
Avoid acquaintence in all of these sentences.
Plural And Related Forms
The plural of acquaintance is acquaintances.
Correct: She invited a few friends and several acquaintances.
Incorrect: She invited a few friends and several acquaintences.
Related forms include:
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| acquaint | to make someone familiar with something | Let me acquaint you with the process. |
| acquainted | familiar with someone or something | I am acquainted with the rules. |
| acquaintance | a person known slightly; familiarity | He is an old acquaintance. |
| acquaintances | plural of acquaintance | We made several acquaintances at the event. |
| acquaintanceship | the state of knowing someone slightly | Their acquaintanceship began at work. |
The spelling pattern stays important in the noun:
Correct: acquaintance
Correct: acquaintances
Incorrect: acquaintence
Incorrect: acquaintences
Common Phrases With Acquaintance
Old acquaintance means someone you knew before.
Example: I ran into an old acquaintance downtown.
Casual acquaintance means someone you know lightly.
Example: He is only a casual acquaintance.
Mutual acquaintance means a person known by two or more people.
Example: We were introduced by a mutual acquaintance.
Business acquaintance means someone you know through work.
Example: She contacted a business acquaintance for advice.
Make your acquaintance is a polite or formal way to say meet you.
Example: It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.
Acquaintance with means familiarity or knowledge.
Example: He has some acquaintance with tax law.
Common Misspellings And Better Fixes
Incorrect: acquaintence
Correct: acquaintance
The safest spelling pattern is:
acq + uaint + ance
Full word:
acquaintance
Real-World Examples
For everyday conversation:
Correct: She is more of an acquaintance than a close friend.
Correct: I know him, but only as an acquaintance.
For work:
Correct: A business acquaintance recommended the company.
Correct: We were introduced through a mutual acquaintance.
For school writing:
Correct: The narrator describes him as an acquaintance, not a friend.
Correct: Her acquaintance with the subject helped her write the paper.
For networking:
Correct: I made several new acquaintances at the event.
Correct: A professional acquaintance shared the job posting.
For formal writing:
Correct: On first acquaintance, the town seemed quiet and ordinary.
Correct: No one of my acquaintance had seen the letter.
Synonyms For Acquaintance
Good alternatives depend on the meaning.
When you mean a person, possible alternatives include:
- contact
- associate
- connection
- person you know
- casual friend
- familiar face
When you mean knowledge or familiarity, possible alternatives include:
- familiarity
- knowledge
- experience
- awareness
- understanding
Be careful with friend. A friend is usually closer than an acquaintance.
Better: He is an acquaintance from work.
Different meaning: He is a friend from work.
FAQ
Is acquaintence ever correct?
No. Acquaintence is not correct in standard English. The correct spelling is acquaintance.
Why is acquaintance spelled with -ance?
Acquaintance uses the -ance ending. The ending may sound like -ence, but the standard spelling is acquaintance.
What does acquaintance mean?
An acquaintance is usually a person you know but do not know well. It can also mean familiarity or knowledge of something.
Is an acquaintance the same as a friend?
No. A friend is usually closer. An acquaintance is someone you know slightly or casually.
What is the plural of acquaintance?
The plural is acquaintances.
Correct: I met several acquaintances at the event.
Incorrect: I met several acquaintences at the event.
Is acquaintance a noun or a verb?
Acquaintance is a noun. The related verb is acquaint.
Example: Let me acquaint you with the plan.
What does make your acquaintance mean?
Make your acquaintance means to meet someone, usually in a polite or formal way.
Example: It is nice to make your acquaintance.
What is a simpler word for acquaintance?
A simpler word may be contact, associate, connection, or person you know. Use friend only if the relationship is close.
Conclusion
Acquaintance is correct. Acquaintence is a misspelling.
Use acquaintance for a person you know but do not know well, or for familiarity with a subject.
Correct: She is an old acquaintance.
Incorrect: She is an old acquaintence.
Remember the spelling this way: acquaintance ends in -ance, not -ence.
