UNFAMILIAR Synonyms: 32 Similar and Opposite Words

unfamiliar

adjective

ˌən-fə-ˈmil-yər

Definition of unfamiliar

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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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of unfamiliar That local training can help in a city where a street name could challenge an unfamiliar voice system. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026 Sinestro was briefly mentioned last week, as Zoe read an online article about him betraying the Lanterns, for anyone unfamiliar with the comics, the film, or the various cartoons. — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026 Each introduction is an opportunity to make an unfamiliar environment feel slightly less impersonal. — Zain Khawaja, STAT, 24 Aug. 2026 For those unfamiliar with the lore, Vine was founded in 2012 as one of the first apps to enable anyone to create and post short videos. — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unfamiliar

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfamiliar

Adjective

Some are quieter this year, some are almost ridiculous, but all of them share a strange sense of purpose.

— Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
His attempt to discover what he is supposed to be doing propels him through a succession of increasingly strange encounters, as his search for purpose becomes entangled with his desire for love, friendship and some kind of place in the world.

— Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of strange

Adjective

There was nothing particularly novel about the show’s premise, but the scripts were refreshingly dense with jokes, prioritizing laughs over contrived drama or seasonlong relationship arcs.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Expect to discover many novel flavors of Brazil—butiá, cajú, cumaru—worked into the menu in unique ways.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of novel

Adjective

In the interview with CNBC's Jim Cramer, Huang argued those arrangements reflect the unprecedented amount of capital required to build frontier AI companies.

— Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Never out of print, continually adapted to stage and screen, in the 1980s Anne was enjoying a surge in popularity unprecedented even in its own successful history.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of unprecedented

Adjective

Think bright citrus, fresh herbs, seasonal fruit and plenty of bubbles.

— Emily Price, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Blood Similar to cleaning urine stains, if the blood on your mattress is fresh, then start the process by soaking up excess liquid with a paper towel before cleaning the area.

— Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of fresh

Adjective

The shop’s mascot, a rabbit, is named Lewis, after the original Lewis & Duncan grocery store that once inhabited the building.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
Historic Preservation Commission members voted Thursday to approve exterior changes to the mansion’s original design plan as the building, now more than a century old, undergoes restoration and renovation as part of a new residential development.

— Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of original

Adjective

Stringer | Reuters A tanker was struck by three unknown projectiles while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, stoking worries that the Middle East conflict could once again escalate.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
The charge and light together seem to indicate a violent collision between an unknown particle and the nucleus of one of the detector’s atoms.

— Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of unknown

Browse Nearby Words

unfaltering

unfamiliar

unfamiliarity

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“Unfamiliar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfamiliar. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of unfamiliar

adjective

Example Sentences

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