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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective familiar contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of familiar are common, ordinary, plain, popular, and vulgar. While all these words mean "generally met with and not in any way special, strange, or unusual," familiar stresses the fact of being generally known and easily recognized.

a familiar melody

When would common be a good substitute for familiar?

The words common and familiar can be used in similar contexts, but common implies usual everyday quality or frequency of occurrence and may additionally suggest inferiority or coarseness.

a common error
lacked common honesty
common manners

Where would ordinary be a reasonable alternative to familiar?

The words ordinary and familiar are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, ordinary stresses conformance in quality or kind with the regular order of things.

an ordinary pleasant summer day
a very ordinary sort of man

When could plain be used to replace familiar?

While the synonyms plain and familiar are close in meaning, plain is likely to suggest homely simplicity.

plain hard-working people

When is popular a more appropriate choice than familiar?

In some situations, the words popular and familiar are roughly equivalent. However, popular applies to what is accepted by or prevalent among people in general sometimes in contrast to upper classes or special groups.

a writer of popular romances

How do vulgar and popular relate to one another, in the sense of familiar?

Vulgar, otherwise similar to popular, is likely to carry derogatory connotations (as of inferiority or coarseness).

souvenirs designed to appeal to the vulgar taste

Example Sentences

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 familiar
Adjective
On April 2, Playa del Carmen government officials issued a statement in Spanish on Instagram with a familiar message. Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025 With earnings season in full swing and macro tensions unresolved, markets are facing a familiar blend of noise, spin, and real economic pressure. Catherine Baab, Quartz, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
Most recently, the actor played Count Dracula in this year's Renfield opposite Nicholas Hoult's titular familiar. Clark Collis, EW.com, 17 May 2023 Beyond the internet hype machine, the product variety hits unsuspecting retail shoppers across financial buckets, design conscious online patrons and a host of famous familiars. Jacqueline Schneider, Forbes, 5 May 2023 See All Example Sentences for familiar
Recent Examples of Synonyms for familiar
Adjective
  • And Amanda Marsalis and April Blair are some of my closest friends now.
    Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Famous detective Sherlock Holmes faces a case where the lives of his closest friends are at risk.
    DeVonne Goode, Parents, 17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Broncos fans became acquainted with Perine in 2023 as the veteran running back who turned into a favorite third-down target and a two-minute weapon for Russell Wilson.
    Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 4 Feb. 2025
  • Research potential employers and become acquainted with their primary products, financial and commercial performance, values and business activities.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • This development mirrors the revolutionary vision of personal computing, suggesting a future where AI agents could become as ubiquitous as desktop computers. 2.
    Gaurav Pathak, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
  • And although offal may never become as ubiquitous as muscle meat in American diets, more people eating organ meats could come with some positives.
    Valerie Trapp, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • That doesn’t portray a hero, but rather someone so arrogant as to invent his own law and appoint himself its executioner.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Fed Up in Illinois Dear Fed Up: Is Edie mean, arrogant, disobedient and rude in the presence of her parents, or has she been invited to spend time with your girls separately?
    Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Nacua is seen slapping the fan in the face and walking away.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid showed fans what clutch looks like in Game 3, closing the game on a 13-1 run after being tied with less than five minutes to go.
    Hannah Vanbiber, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Listen to this article An emotional vigil that drew family, friends and community activists was held Wednesday for a beloved Harlem grandmother, businesswoman and community leader killed by a stray bullet in the crossfire of a shooting.
    Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Two witnesses took the stand on the first day of testimony, a friend of O'Keefe who was there when his body was found and a paramedic who tried to revive him.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Galego’s sensuous, intimate paintings speak loudly as the artist herself engages viewers with a soft, ethereal demeanor, underscoring the dreamy otherworldliness of her work.
    Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
  • When glasses that reveal these intimate links fall into the wrong hands, chaos ensues as privacy becomes a public commodity.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • To stay informed, check your state’s Department of Labor website, follow updates from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), or monitor news outlets that cover workplace law changes like HR Dive and the National Law Review.
    Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
  • Those who stay informed, maintain their properties, and recognize the external factors driving home values are best positioned to adapt to changes in their communities.
    William Jones, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Familiar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/familiar. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

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