acquaintance and friend share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. acquaintance means “personal knowledge or information about someone or something”. friend means “a person you know well and regard with affection and trust”. friend is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/əˈkweɪntəns/
1.n.personal knowledge or information about someone or something
2.n.a relationship less intimate than friendship
3.n.a person with whom you are acquainted
“I have trouble remembering the names of all my acquaintances”
/ˈfɹɛnd/
| acquaintance | friend | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /əˈkweɪntəns/ | /ˈfɹɛnd/ |
| Said | uh-KWAYN-tuhns | frend |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Letters | 12 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | noun | noun |
| Senses | 3 | 5 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | familiarity, conversance, conversancy | none recorded |
Full entry for acquaintance · Full entry for friend · More comparisons
1.n.a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
“he was my best friend at the university”
2.n.an associate who provides cooperation or assistance
“he's a good ally in fight”
3.n.a person with whom you are acquainted
“I have trouble remembering the names of all my acquaintances”