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
Meet the Northern Hairy-Nosed Wombat For those unfamiliar with this elusive species, the northern hairy-nosed wombat is a remarkable creature by any measure.
—
Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026
Review linked apps and remove anything unfamiliar or unused.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
The idea was to manage expectations and remove some of the uncertainty around ordering a drink with an unfamiliar ingredient list.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 13 Feb. 2026
In the book, between 2018 and 2022, many of the films listed will probably be unfamiliar to most readers.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unfamiliar
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Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026
Review linked apps and remove anything unfamiliar or unused.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
The idea was to manage expectations and remove some of the uncertainty around ordering a drink with an unfamiliar ingredient list.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 13 Feb. 2026
In the book, between 2018 and 2022, many of the films listed will probably be unfamiliar to most readers.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 11 Feb. 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 17 Feb. 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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