Word
unfamiliar
Phoneticsun·fa·mil·iar, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌənfəˈmɪɫjɝ/
UK/ʌnfəmˈɪliə/
Definitions
01strange or unknown
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. not known or recognized because you have not seen or experienced it before.
adj. not known or recognized; lacking the quality of being familiar through previous encounter or experience.
“The city felt scary at first because all the streets were unfamiliar to me.”
“Walking through the dense fog, he found himself in an unfamiliar neighborhood where even the architecture seemed alien and unsettling.”
Usage
Often followed by the preposition 'to'.
02lacking knowledge
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. not knowing much about a particular subject or how to do something.
adj. not having knowledge or experience of a specific subject, system, or practice.
“I am unfamiliar with this computer program, so I might need some help.”
“The new manager was largely unfamiliar with the technical nuances of the project, necessitating a comprehensive briefing from the engineering team.”
Usage
Usually followed by the preposition 'with'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
03a stranger
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Literary
n. a person that you do not know.
n. a person with whom one is not acquainted. This nominal use is significantly less common than the adjectival form.
“The dog barked loudly at the unfamiliar standing at the gate.”
“In the quiet village, the arrival of an unfamiliar was always met with a mixture of curiosity and guarded silence.”
Teaching tip
This noun sense is rare in modern speech; students should use 'stranger' in almost all contexts.
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“Coe said the idea was “not as unfamiliar territory as people tend to think”.” “The appeal of the Jonas Brothers, and in this case only one of them, was unfamiliar territory.” Etymology
From un- + familiar.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/unfamiliar