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
The government’s reliance on Microsoft also entrenches a sense of familiarity with its products that cements its places in federal networks.
—
Eric Geller, WIRED, 15 Apr. 2024
Aside from the celebratory spirit throughout the evening, there was also a certain level of warmth and familiarity.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 11 Apr. 2024
That familiarity has also sapped much of the excitement in the liberal media’s fight against Trump, and for democracy.
—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024
Moreover, with his detached demeanor, Tom doesn’t even fake the affection or familiarity needed to carry off this ruse.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 4 Apr. 2024
The familiarity of the styling cues would seem to be intentional, according to CNN.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 29 Mar. 2024
Deep familiarity with the offense gave Garoppolo an edge over Carson Wentz, an unrestricted free agent who finished last season with the Rams.
—Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024
Zhang noted that the soft coverage of Yellen’s familiarity and appreciation of Chinese food — which some commentators attributed to her time in San Francisco — was reminiscent of how Chinese media reported on the visits of foreign leaders in the past.
—Lily Kuo, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Here’s how past presidents dealt with aging But, despite this unusual level of familiarity with the candidates, a significant minority of voters have not made up their minds, according to recent polling.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
Eric Geller, WIRED, 15 Apr. 2024
Aside from the celebratory spirit throughout the evening, there was also a certain level of warmth and familiarity.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 11 Apr. 2024
That familiarity has also sapped much of the excitement in the liberal media’s fight against Trump, and for democracy.
—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024
Moreover, with his detached demeanor, Tom doesn’t even fake the affection or familiarity needed to carry off this ruse.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 4 Apr. 2024
The familiarity of the styling cues would seem to be intentional, according to CNN.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 29 Mar. 2024
Deep familiarity with the offense gave Garoppolo an edge over Carson Wentz, an unrestricted free agent who finished last season with the Rams.
—Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024
Zhang noted that the soft coverage of Yellen’s familiarity and appreciation of Chinese food — which some commentators attributed to her time in San Francisco — was reminiscent of how Chinese media reported on the visits of foreign leaders in the past.
—Lily Kuo, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Here’s how past presidents dealt with aging But, despite this unusual level of familiarity with the candidates, a significant minority of voters have not made up their minds, according to recent polling.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
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 25 Apr. 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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