unfamiliar
adjective
un·fa·mil·iar
ˌən-fə-ˈmil-yər 
: not familiar:
a
: not well-known : strange
an unfamiliar place
b
: not well acquainted
unfamiliar with the subject
Synonyms
Examples of unfamiliar in a Sentence
He gets nervous when he is in unfamiliar surroundings.
The book is full of unfamiliar words.
Recent Examples on the Web
The fields of law and insurance are extremely complicated for the layperson, with documents full of terms and concepts that may as well be a foreign language to those unfamiliar with them.
—
Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
Part of the reason for this misconception is that many in the field are still unfamiliar with the AI tools that can help improve their processes and empower their teams.
—Venky Yerrapotu, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Few Americans overall approve of Pete Hegseth, Trump's nominee for defense secretary, or Tulsi Gabbard, his pick to lead intelligence, though a significant portion of the public remains unfamiliar with both figures.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
For those who are unfamiliar, Yule Log shows are typically a simple shot of a crackling fire that viewers play on their TVs during the Christmas holiday season to replicate the cozy vibe of fireplace.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unfamiliar 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
Part of the reason for this misconception is that many in the field are still unfamiliar with the AI tools that can help improve their processes and empower their teams.
—Venky Yerrapotu, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Few Americans overall approve of Pete Hegseth, Trump's nominee for defense secretary, or Tulsi Gabbard, his pick to lead intelligence, though a significant portion of the public remains unfamiliar with both figures.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
For those who are unfamiliar, Yule Log shows are typically a simple shot of a crackling fire that viewers play on their TVs during the Christmas holiday season to replicate the cozy vibe of fireplace.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unfamiliar
Dictionary Entries Near unfamiliar
Cite this Entry
“Unfamiliar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unfamiliar. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unfamiliar
adjective
un·fa·mil·iar
ˌən-fə-ˈmil-yər
1
: not well-known : strange
an unfamiliar place
2
: not well acquainted
unfamiliar with the subject
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share