as in strange
not known or experienced before
ordered an unfamiliar wine and was surprised to find that it was much drier than what they were used to
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unfamiliar
Her sudden fear of water, loud noises, or unfamiliar places.
—
Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 23 June 2025
While unfamiliar to most English fans on his arrival, Tottenham had to fight off significant interest from Newcastle United and Eintracht Frankfurt.
—Elias Burke, New York Times, 21 June 2025
Customers are unfamiliar with loquats, or opt instead to buy more zesty and palatable Small Batch bestsellers like Pineapple Pepper Jam or Raspberry Jalapeno.
—Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2025
Past behavior in public and unfamiliar settings (such as staying in touch, remaining calm, and effectively navigating situations).
—Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unfamiliar
Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 23 June 2025
While unfamiliar to most English fans on his arrival, Tottenham had to fight off significant interest from Newcastle United and Eintracht Frankfurt.
—Elias Burke, New York Times, 21 June 2025
Customers are unfamiliar with loquats, or opt instead to buy more zesty and palatable Small Batch bestsellers like Pineapple Pepper Jam or Raspberry Jalapeno.
—Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2025
Past behavior in public and unfamiliar settings (such as staying in touch, remaining calm, and effectively navigating situations).
—Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unfamiliar
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfamiliar
Adjective
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This film is set entirely inside a taxi cab that Panahi is driving around Tehran, as different people drift in and out of his car with their own strange and very personal dramas.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
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But one of the strangest well wishes came not from a person, but a 1,400-foot-tall building.—
Stephen Daw,
Billboard,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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Affectionately, the 35-year-old pop star is not known for setting or chasing trends, instead using fashion to tease new musical eras or evoke a sense of girl-next-door relatability.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
29 June 2025
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Either way, your new bedding just might invoke dreams of France: All Sijo linen is sourced from Normandy, which has a centuries-old tradition of producing top-notch linen.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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With classic brown sugar, taro, and novel seasonal flavors, the shop offers comfort in familiarity—trusted by generations and still blending tapioca pearls, fresh milk, and chewy yummies one cup at a time.—
Taryn White,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
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After the first round of the Travelers Championship, the Northern Irishman showed up to answer reporters' questions, and the topic came up again, even taking a novel approach.—
Julio Cesar Valdera Morales,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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Such stalling of regulatory activity is unprecedented.—
Clyde Wayne Crews Jr,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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The scale of Squid Game’s success is indeed unprecedented.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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The box set delivers a fresh take on a fan-favorite moment from the Steven Spielberg sequel.—
Nigel Smith,
People.com,
25 June 2025
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This particular recipe, which adds sauteed shrimp, white wine and fresh tarragon to the mix, leans toward the simpler preparation.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 June 2025
Adjective
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Because these are open-box deals, the items have been taken out of their original packaging and could arrive with minor scratches—but that won’t stop us from accepting the massive discount.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 June 2025
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The ultra-high-performance model, which debuted in 2023 at the very tail end of the third-generation Challenger’s lifecycle, added a 3.0-liter supercharger to the original Demon variant’s 6.2-liter Hellcat V-8.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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Currently, there is no data indicating the containment progress of the fire and its cause remains unknown.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
29 June 2025
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The actual cost of the wedding is unknown, but Venice regional governor Luca Zaia originally estimated the cost between 20 million-30 million euros, or $23 million-$34 million, in a June 24 Reuters article.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
29 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unfamiliar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfamiliar. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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