familiarity
noun
fa·mil·iar·i·ty
fə-ˌmi-lē-ˈ(y)er-ə-tē 
-ˈ(y)a-rə-;
-ˌmil-ˈyer-,
-ˌmil-ˈya-rə-
plural familiarities
2
a
: absence of ceremony : informality
b
: an unduly informal act or expression : impropriety
c
: a sexual liberty
3
: close acquaintance with something
Synonyms
Examples of familiarity in a Sentence
He spoke to everyone with the easy familiarity of an old friend.
the elderly couple enjoys a familiarity that is the result of many years of happy marriage
Recent Examples on the Web
Farrar pointed to the 911 caller recognizing Bodden, the sergeant’s familiarity in the radio communications, and that the store had banned him.
—
Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 4 June 2024
Aftab’s voice is as poised and patient as ever on Night Reign, but the arrangements are playful and exploratory, clearly informed by her familiarity with jazz improvisation.
—Vrinda Jagota, SPIN, 29 May 2024
Being away from home can be uncomfortable for some and our belongings bring us a sense of familiarity in unfamiliar territory.
—Celeste Polanco, Essence, 28 May 2024
MaxPreps, even with years of familiarity in California, hasn’t been able to pull it off either because schools have to provide the personnel and information on their own.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for familiarity 
Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 4 June 2024
Aftab’s voice is as poised and patient as ever on Night Reign, but the arrangements are playful and exploratory, clearly informed by her familiarity with jazz improvisation.
—Vrinda Jagota, SPIN, 29 May 2024
Being away from home can be uncomfortable for some and our belongings bring us a sense of familiarity in unfamiliar territory.
—Celeste Polanco, Essence, 28 May 2024
MaxPreps, even with years of familiarity in California, hasn’t been able to pull it off either because schools have to provide the personnel and information on their own.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for familiarity
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'familiarity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near familiarity
Cite this Entry
“Familiarity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/familiarity. Accessed 8 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
familiarity
noun
fa·mil·iar·i·ty
fə-ˌmil-ˈyar-ət-ē
-ˌmil-ē-ˈar-
plural familiarities
1
: close friendship : intimacy
2
: lack of formality : freedom and ease in personal relations
3
: close acquaintance with or knowledge of something
4
: an overly bold act or expression
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