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
: the quality or state of being unfamiliar : strangeness, novelty
his unfamiliarity with this quarter of the city
an unfamiliarity with the new rules slowed down his play
the unfamiliarity of the scene
Examples of unfamiliar in a Sentence
Adjective
He gets nervous when he is in unfamiliar surroundings.
The book is full of unfamiliar words.
Recent Examples on the Web
Clemente Lisi,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
Conversion therapy isn’t an entirely unfamiliar topic to the pair, however.
—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
19 June 2026
Those scanning the skies over the East River this summer may spot something unfamiliar — a cargo drone schlepping packages between the Downtown Skyport in lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn Marine Terminal just south of Brooklyn Bridge Park.
—
Anne Kadet,
Curbed,
19 June 2026
Shinnecock was still a brute of a test, but the red numbers on the white scoreboard were an unfamiliar site for this course.
—
Doug Ferguson,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unfamiliar
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Adjective
Unlike past World Cups, where travel and unfamiliar environments were unavoidable, this tournament has allowed the USMNT to travel a familiar sporting and cultural landscape.
—
Clemente Lisi,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
Conversion therapy isn’t an entirely unfamiliar topic to the pair, however.
—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
19 June 2026
Those scanning the skies over the East River this summer may spot something unfamiliar — a cargo drone schlepping packages between the Downtown Skyport in lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn Marine Terminal just south of Brooklyn Bridge Park.
—
Anne Kadet,
Curbed,
19 June 2026
Shinnecock was still a brute of a test, but the red numbers on the white scoreboard were an unfamiliar site for this course.
—
Doug Ferguson,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 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 26 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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