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
While Hulst tried to fight his way through traffic, Serna was in unfamiliar territory.
—
Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 30 May 2026
Parents may consider sensory triggers, unfamiliar environments, social expectations, and the possibility of judgment before deciding whether a theater, concert, museum, or festival feels feasible.
—Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
In real-world testing, the system achieved about 75 percent grasp success on unfamiliar objects, compared with 41 percent using baseline methods.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 May 2026
Once her own pregnancy began, stepping away from work initially felt unfamiliar and slightly unsettling.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unfamiliar
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Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 30 May 2026
Parents may consider sensory triggers, unfamiliar environments, social expectations, and the possibility of judgment before deciding whether a theater, concert, museum, or festival feels feasible.
—Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
In real-world testing, the system achieved about 75 percent grasp success on unfamiliar objects, compared with 41 percent using baseline methods.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 May 2026
Once her own pregnancy began, stepping away from work initially felt unfamiliar and slightly unsettling.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 28 May 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 5 Jun. 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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