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You see that these days people communicate face to face far less than they did in the past. When we are constantly tied to our phones checking work emails, news alerts, or simply scrolling through Instagram, it's imperative that we learn to balance this with offline time with our loved ones. We are paying more attention to the device than the person with whom we are conversing. Fostering relationships online can hurt our relationships offline, making us less able to communicate. "Those that have limited experience in reading people do not have the same level of social intelligence previous generations posses. Unfortunatley, there is no ........... between people these days like the past! In the context above, would it be possible to use the word intimacy to fill in the blank?

Whereas the peecise meaning of the word "intimacy" has a connotation of sexual relationship while the word in my question as a nutral one has nothing to the with these sort of affairs.

I would really like to know if there is a better choice here rather than my offered one.

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  • intimacy SYNONYMS - closeness, togetherness, affinity, rapport, attachment, familiarity, confidentiality, close association, close relationship, close attachment, close friendship, friendliness, comradeship, companionship, amity, affection, mutual affection, warmth, warm feelings, understanding, fellow feeling...
    – FumbleFingers
    Commented Apr 10, 2019 at 12:15
  • Thank you very much, but I was not looking for a list of synonymous words; I need to find out first: Am I right and does my taking on the sexual connotation is correct? Second: If it has a sense of secuality, then ehat would be the best nutral alternative for it in everyday speech?
    – A-friend
    Commented Apr 10, 2019 at 12:30
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    Well, you did say you'd like to know if there is a better choice here. But you're wrong to think that the possible sexual connotations of "intimacy" rule it out for your context. As my link shows, that's a second meaning, with synonyms sexual relations, sexual intercourse, sex, intercourse, lovemaking, act of love, carnal knowledge, sexual congress, congress (formal coition, coitus, copulation). But that doesn't prevent you using it in contexts where it's obvious you intend the first meaning.
    – FumbleFingers
    Commented Apr 10, 2019 at 12:48

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You aren't really looking for a word synonymous with "intimacy" because you are not describing the physical connection with people. Two people can meet without touching each other.

It seems to me you are trying to say something like face-to-face interaction, and I'm not sure there is a single word that encapsulates this, but probably plenty of other phrases.

"One-on-one" could possibly replace "face-to-face" although that can sometimes infer competition rather than a meeting of equals.

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  • How do you think I have to encapsulate this meaning within a combination of words using "intimacy" or a similar word in the most natural way?
    – A-friend
    Commented Apr 10, 2019 at 13:59
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    @A-friend The word was already provided in the answer: interaction. Or, if it should be qualified, face-to-face interaction. That's exactly the word I would have put into the missing spot in the sentence.
    – Jason Bassford
    Commented Apr 10, 2019 at 14:02
  • @Jason Bassford I see, but they don't encompass the emotional side of the concept at hand! This is why I disn't noticed!
    – A-friend
    Commented Apr 10, 2019 at 14:06
  • @A-friend The emotional component is given in the context of the surrounding text.
    – Jason Bassford
    Commented Apr 10, 2019 at 15:24
  • I just don't understand what does "imtimacy" miss and why it cannot convey the message in my question? "I need to indicate the closeness and heartiness of the emotional relationship between people as it existed before!
    – A-friend
    Commented Apr 10, 2019 at 17:09

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