familiarize

verb

fa·​mil·​iar·​ize fə-ˈmil-yə-ˌrīz 

familiarized; familiarizing

transitive verb

1

: to make known or familiar

Shakespeare … familiarizes the wonderful

—Samuel Johnson

2

: to make well acquainted

familiarize students with good literature

familiarization

fə-ˌmil-yə-rə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

Synonyms

• acquaint
• advise
• apprise
• brief
• catch up
• clear
• clue (in)
• enlighten
• fill in
• hip
• inform
• instruct
• tell
• verse
• wise (up)

Examples of familiarize in a Sentence

I've been slowly familiarizing myself with the neighborhood.

the general's day-to-day duties included familiarizing the president on international developments

Recent Examples on the Web

Inspect your ride and familiarize yourself with your car's features. —Christopher Elliott, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2024

The Game of the Year Edition holds up pretty well and might be a great entryway for anyone looking to familiarize themselves with the series ahead of seeing the movie adaptation (or looking to wash the taste from their mouths afterward). —Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2024

Anyone looking to get an EV has to familiarize themselves with the various connector types. —Joe Hindy, PCMAG, 8 Aug. 2024

Anyone visiting Dubai should familiarize themselves with local traditions and customs, and be sure to respect them. —Sophie Prideaux, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

familiarize

verb

fa·​mil·​iar·​ize fə-ˈmil-yə-ˌrīz 

familiarized; familiarizing

: to make familiar

familiarize yourself with the place

familiarization

-ˌmil-yə-rə-ˈzā-shən 

noun