unfamiliar

adjective

ˌən-fə-ˈmil-yər How to pronounce unfamiliar (audio)
Definition of unfamiliarnext
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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of unfamiliar The Major League Baseball draft is filled with unfamiliar names. — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026 Standing in the home clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park wasn’t an unfamiliar feeling for McGwire. — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 12 July 2026 Fronting the beloved ice hockey romance are Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, two unfamiliar actors who became absolute sensations overnight. — Emily Maskell, IndieWire, 10 July 2026 Car rides, unfamiliar buildings, kennel waits and sharing space with strangers can turn a routine appointment into a genuinely distressing experience. — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for unfamiliar
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfamiliar
  1. strange
  2. new
  3. novel
  4. unprecedented
  5. fresh
  6. original
  7. unknown
Adjective
  • While Deliverance follows more or less in the footsteps of Blackwater Park, Damnation digs into a strange new realm for the band, uncovering something even darker.
    — Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 19 July 2026
  • Downstate, the threat of black vultures still feels new and strange.
    — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2026
Definition of strange
Adjective
  • Among those rumoured to be part of a new regime, the old 1998 goalkeeper Fabien Barthez is in the mix.
    — Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • Iran’s unemployment has worsened since the conflict began, and its currency has hit new lows.
    — Jomana Karadsheh, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
Definition of new
Adjective
  • Romero, who has been watching this year’s matches at bars in Mexico City, said she’s enjoyed trying new beers, especially those with novel ingredients like champagne yeast.
    — Dee-Ann Durbin, Fortune, 17 July 2026
  • Predictive machine learning is no longer a novel topic of conversation in healthcare.
    — Subba Rao Katragadda, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of novel
Adjective
  • The film broke records after an unprecedented box office run, with second, third and fourth weekends that were larger than its debut.
    — Brent Lang, Variety, 15 July 2026
  • Why Dana Suskind is sounding the alarm With the explosion of AI, Suskind has grown alarmed by a rush to introduce an unprecedented technology into kids' lives without careful reflection and rigorous scientific study about its effects on young minds.
    — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 14 July 2026
Definition of unprecedented
Adjective
  • Add a bit of garlic and fresh herbs and the sauce is even better.
    — Kate Williams, AJC.com, 20 July 2026
  • The painful memory of the last citywide revaluation in 2021 is still fresh, with a broad cross-section of homeowners experiencing real estate tax bill sticker shock as residential property values soared in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic.
    — Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2026
Definition of fresh
Adjective
  • While Nielsen’s streaming rankings for the week of July 6 to 12 won’t be available for another month or so, early data from the measurement company puts The Five Star Weekend among the Top 5 original streaming series in that timeframe.
    — Katie Campione, Deadline, 17 July 2026
  • The original case dates back to the early hours of May 8, 1981, when Sebold, then a Syracuse University freshman, was brutally raped in a park near campus.
    — Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 17 July 2026
Definition of original
Adjective
  • The lab got its start with studies of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in the 1900s, when ranchers and cattle were dying from the then-unknown disease.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • The previously unknown visit, revealed to the Washington Examiner by a source familiar with the matter, appears to be his first since leaving power in April.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 21 July 2026
Definition of unknown

Browse Nearby Words

unfaltering
unfamiliar
unfamiliarity
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unfamiliar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfamiliar. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on unfamiliar

Nglish: Translation of unfamiliar for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of maverick

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All