unfamiliar
adjective
un·fa·mil·iar
ˌən-fə-ˈmil-yər 
: not familiar:
a
: not well-known : strange
an unfamiliar place
—often used with toused words that were unfamiliar to me
b
: not well acquainted
unfamiliar with the subject
Examples of unfamiliar in a Sentence
He gets nervous when he is in unfamiliar surroundings.
The book is full of unfamiliar words.
Recent Examples on the Web
Learning a language, studying abroad, or simply traveling to experience something entirely unfamiliar to you.
—
Kirah Tabourn, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Mar. 2026
Checking your transactions regularly, acting quickly on anything unfamiliar and adding an extra layer of monitoring can make a real difference.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 Mar. 2026
John Mellencamp’s Icon Award performance at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards on Thursday, March 26, sparked a split reaction, with younger audience members appearing unfamiliar with his hits while longtime fans got emotional.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
Getty Images/iStockphoto Gold investors who got started with the precious metal in recent months, expecting that the metal's seemingly never-ending price rise would continue unabated, experienced something unfamiliar this March – gold's price actually dropped.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unfamiliar
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Kirah Tabourn, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Mar. 2026
Checking your transactions regularly, acting quickly on anything unfamiliar and adding an extra layer of monitoring can make a real difference.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 Mar. 2026
John Mellencamp’s Icon Award performance at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards on Thursday, March 26, sparked a split reaction, with younger audience members appearing unfamiliar with his hits while longtime fans got emotional.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
Getty Images/iStockphoto Gold investors who got started with the precious metal in recent months, expecting that the metal's seemingly never-ending price rise would continue unabated, experienced something unfamiliar this March – gold's price actually dropped.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unfamiliar
Cite this Entry
“Unfamiliar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unfamiliar. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unfamiliar
adjective
un·fa·mil·iar
ˌən-fə-ˈmil-yər
1
: not well-known : strange
an unfamiliar place
2
: not well acquainted
unfamiliar with the subject
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