familiarity
noun
fa·mil·iar·i·ty
fə-ˌmi-lē-ˈ(y)er-ə-tē 
-ˈ(y)a-rə-;
-ˌmil-ˈyer-,
-ˌmil-ˈya-rə-
plural familiarities
2
a
: absence of ceremony : informality
b
: an unduly informal act or expression : impropriety
c
: a sexual liberty
3
: close acquaintance with something
Examples of familiarity in a Sentence
He spoke to everyone with the easy familiarity of an old friend.
the elderly couple enjoys a familiarity that is the result of many years of happy marriage
Recent Examples on the Web
But more often than not, there’s a lot of familiarity.
—
Ben Smith, semafor.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Many consider Hunt to be the most well-rounded candidate, given her credentials as a former journalist, her familiarity with the BBC, track record of backing hits like Slow Horses and Sherlock, and her experience at one of the world’s most influential tech companies.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 5 Feb. 2026
The familiarity of that trope and the accompanying maze of coding in toxic tech culture movies makes the final act a bit pedestrian, even with the big reveal of a surprise connection between two key characters.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
Canada, Sweden and Great Britain lead the way in the all-time medal table, and that makes sense, given their familiarity with ice and frigid temperatures.
—Garrett Chorpenning, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for familiarity
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Ben Smith, semafor.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Many consider Hunt to be the most well-rounded candidate, given her credentials as a former journalist, her familiarity with the BBC, track record of backing hits like Slow Horses and Sherlock, and her experience at one of the world’s most influential tech companies.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 5 Feb. 2026
The familiarity of that trope and the accompanying maze of coding in toxic tech culture movies makes the final act a bit pedestrian, even with the big reveal of a surprise connection between two key characters.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
Canada, Sweden and Great Britain lead the way in the all-time medal table, and that makes sense, given their familiarity with ice and frigid temperatures.
—Garrett Chorpenning, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for familiarity
Cite this Entry
“Familiarity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/familiarity. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
familiarity
noun
fa·mil·iar·i·ty
fə-ˌmil-ˈyar-ət-ē
-ˌmil-ē-ˈar-
plural familiarities
1
: close friendship : intimacy
2
: lack of formality : freedom and ease in personal relations
3
: close acquaintance with or knowledge of something
4
: an overly bold act or expression
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