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

• inform
• advise
• tell
• instruct

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

Leaders considering implementing agentic AI should familiarize themselves with all of the potential hazards, and establish structured oversight frameworks to mitigate them. —Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025

Allen recommends familiarizing yourself with your state’s requirements and keeping thorough documentation of your health and employment. —Staff Author, Verywell Health, 3 July 2025

City Manager Julie Oakley said the city is working to train employees on the new ordinance and familiarize them with the reporting process. —Naina Srivastava, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025

Give yourself a leg up on the competition by familiarizing yourself with the terms below. —Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 17 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for familiarize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize

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