as in strange
not known or experienced before
ordered an unfamiliar wine and was surprised to find that it was much drier than what they were used to
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in ignorance
the state of being unaware or uninformed
some intense studying rapidly remedied my unfamiliarity with the subject in time for the exam
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unfamiliar
Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
For those unfamiliar with the Richard Linklater trilogy, the characters end up playing out their star signs perfectly: Scorpio (Jesse) is loyal to a fault, intensely romantic, dramatic, and even obsessive.
—Erika W. Smith, Vogue, 11 Feb. 2025
And so the cobalt-blue splat at this canvas’s center may strike us as violent or raw but not unfamiliar—a piece of sky or sea or something else in nature rather than something the artist has invented for invention’s sake.
—Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025
And of course, all this is unfamiliar territory for a man who spent most of his playing days fighting to win trophies, not to avoid relegation.
—Rob Tanner, The Athletic, 6 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for unfamiliar 
Adjective
Yet, rather than start Kelly, Howe opted to deploy Botman in an unfamiliar right-sided role twice inside four days, before resting him against Bromley the following weekend.
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
For those unfamiliar with the Richard Linklater trilogy, the characters end up playing out their star signs perfectly: Scorpio (Jesse) is loyal to a fault, intensely romantic, dramatic, and even obsessive.
—Erika W. Smith, Vogue, 11 Feb. 2025
And so the cobalt-blue splat at this canvas’s center may strike us as violent or raw but not unfamiliar—a piece of sky or sea or something else in nature rather than something the artist has invented for invention’s sake.
—Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025
And of course, all this is unfamiliar territory for a man who spent most of his playing days fighting to win trophies, not to avoid relegation.
—Rob Tanner, The Athletic, 6 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for unfamiliar
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfamiliar
Adjective
-
The win-then-disqualification made for a strange post-race set of circumstances.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Feb. 2025
-
Tekashi’s camp then called the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office, which dispatched Bomb Squad officers to investigate the strange parcel.—
Marc Griffin,
VIBE.com,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Blindness or willful ignorance of the future is an extremely risky path to pursue.—
PATRICK CASEY, DEBRA FISER, WHIT HALL and GARY WHEELER Special to the Democrat-Gazette,
arkansasonline.com,
9 Feb. 2025
-
The recent malicious defamation and degradation of DEI is based at best on ignorance and at worst, on racial bias and stereotyping.—
Dr. Tony Lux,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The video discussion started with benchmarks, details about xAI's new data center and the desire to create a chatbot that didn't need to be politically correct.—
Ina Fried,
Axios,
18 Feb. 2025
-
Tech billionaire Elon Musk might not truly be leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), despite what President Donald Trump and his allies have said in previous weeks, according to new court documents reviewed by Newsweek.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez will present a unique course that incorporates the stadium section, creating a novel 14-turn route.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
8 Feb. 2025
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That exception is Jackie Brown, an adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s novel Rum Punch.—
Paul Fitzgerald,
Rolling Stone,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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This year the Chiefs are aiming for an unprecedented ‘three-peat’ and the game is a repeat of Super Bowl LVII in 2023 when the Chiefs beat the Eagles 38-35 in Glendale, Arizona.—
Eduardo Tansley,
The Athletic,
8 Feb. 2025
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One of the things that is unprecedented in particularly the CBS action is the disclosure of the investigation, the release of the documents for public comment.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
8 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Plus, the show’s loyal fanbase, Bachelor Nation, deserves beautiful, fresh, captivating, on-trend gowns to set the tone for the rest of the season.—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
11 Feb. 2025
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Their enormous talents, alongside Liam Neeson’s, promise to enrich our film with fresh excitement.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The film also won best actor for Brody at the BAFTAs, as well as best cinematography and best original score.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA TODAY,
19 Feb. 2025
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An epic poem from Homer, the original literary classic explored themes of heroism, loyalty, cunning and the struggle against divine will, featuring stories like Odysseus’ encounters with the Cyclops Polyphemus, the Sirens and the witch-goddess Circe, culminating in a reunion with his wife Penelope.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Don't click on links in texts from unknown senders to try to access a website through the text.—
Kate Gibson,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2025
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However, all measles cases reported locally or nationally have been among unvaccinated people or those with unknown vaccination status, showing the effectiveness of the MMR vaccine.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
17 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near unfamiliar
Cite this Entry
“Unfamiliar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfamiliar. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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