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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Recent Examples of unfamiliar
When that process relies on unfamiliar language, the burden of explanation can feel endless; yet, without the chance to learn and practice, others are denied the opportunity to develop a broader understanding of human diversity.
—
Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
In service of that goal, agents have spent the last nine months roving unfamiliar cities—New Orleans, Charlotte, Minneapolis—wearing face masks and conducting raids.
—Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026
For those unfamiliar, Hot Ones is an interview series that airs on YouTube — not on any television network.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 12 Mar. 2026
For those of you unfamiliar with the current 'minisodes' that are already available for streaming, the name 'minisodes' comes from the fact that these are just one to three minutes long.
—Sari Hitchins, Parents, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unfamiliar
Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
In service of that goal, agents have spent the last nine months roving unfamiliar cities—New Orleans, Charlotte, Minneapolis—wearing face masks and conducting raids.
—Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026
For those unfamiliar, Hot Ones is an interview series that airs on YouTube — not on any television network.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 12 Mar. 2026
For those of you unfamiliar with the current 'minisodes' that are already available for streaming, the name 'minisodes' comes from the fact that these are just one to three minutes long.
—Sari Hitchins, Parents, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unfamiliar
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfamiliar
Adjective
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One thing was clear from the beginning — these strange objects were common.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
17 Mar. 2026
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It was written by Nicki Cortese and follows a man (Goggins) who wakes up in a strange house covered in blood and comes to realize his true identity while fighting off contract killers from his past, which includes everyone from his exes to his best friend.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
His father, Bob, got a new role with ENT Credit Union.—
Tony Catalina,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
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Both actors are calling in from New York City, where Ball is about to make his Broadway debut in a new play, Becky Shaw, while Briones is preparing to join the cast of the musical Just in Time for her second turn on Broadway this April.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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For six straight weeks, the stories and novel chapters handed in for my creative-writing class were predictably grim, and then, out of nowhere, a student revealed herself to be a true writer.—
Han Ong,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
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Overman said the trial is novel, but that there is still a long way to go before early immunotherapy can be considered a standard of care treatment for microsatellite stable colorectal cancer.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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During recent propulsion trials, the vessel reached about 14 mph under sail alone in winds of around 23 mph, which the builder says is unprecedented for a sailing ship of this size.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Mar. 2026
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The result has been unprecedented levels of outside spending and the rise of super political action committees capable of shaping elections with vast financial resources from a small number of donors.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In a year where anxiety over studio contraction and the rise of artificial intelligence often consumed the industry, both films gave Hollywood fresh hope.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Mar. 2026
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Additionally, any fresh details on Rubin’s successor architecture — dubbed Feynman after theoretical physicist Richard Feynman and planned to debut in 2028 — will be noteworthy, as Nvidia continues to push the envelope on innovation to stay ahead of the competition.—
Kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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El Concilio — the group that led the effort to rename First Street for Cesar Chavez in 1993 — voted to pursue reversing that change, asking City Council to restore the street’s original name.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
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The reality television show that made the family a household name has been off the air for over a decade, but the family managed to foray the cancellation of the original series into TLC spin-offs, brand deals, and social media fame.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Back in January, an unknown trader made hundreds of thousands of dollars on Polymarket event contracts regarding the arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.—
Luke Garrett,
NPR,
14 Mar. 2026
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The Los Angeles Fire Department said paramedics took one person to the hospital in an unknown condition.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unfamiliar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfamiliar. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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