fa·mil·iar
fə-ˈmil-yər 
1
: a member of the household of a high official
2
: one who is often seen and well known
especially
: an intimate associate : companion
3
: a spirit often embodied in an animal and held to attend and serve or guard a person
the loathsome toad, the witches' familiar—
Harvey Graham
Harvey Graham4
a
: one who is well acquainted with something
familiars of violence—John Updike
John Updike
b
: one who frequents a place
familiars of the embassy—Rebecca West
Rebecca West1
: closely acquainted : intimate
a familiar family friend
3
a
: of or relating to a family
remembering past familiar celebrations
b
: frequented by families
a familiar resort
4
a
: being free and easy
the familiar association of old friends
b
: marked by informality
a familiar essay
c
: overly free and unrestrained : presumptuous
grossly familiar behavior
d
: moderately tame
familiar animals
5
a
: frequently seen or experienced : easily recognized
a familiar theme
b
: of everyday occurrence
a familiar routine
c
: possibly known but imperfectly remembered
her face looked familiar
6
: having personal or intimate knowledge
—used with with
familiar with the facts of the case
familiarly
adverb
familiarness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of familiar in a Sentence
Noun
a longtime familiar of the bar, she would most likely have been there on the night in question
with old familiars the normally reserved writer can be quite warm and funny
Adjective
Some authors, such as Richard Rodriguez and Ruben Martinez, will be familiar to media mavens outside the region …
—Ray Olson, Booklist, 15 Oct. 1996
I think one reason I finally have finished a novel about baseball is that it happens to be one of the few subjects that I know much about. If I were as familiar with forestry, music, … or the city of Rotterdam, I am sure I would have written fiction grounded in that knowledge long ago.
—Philip Roth, Reading Myself and Others, 1975
The essay covers familiar ground.
She has become a familiar figure in the world of politics.
She spoke in a familiar way about her past.
an essay written in a familiar style
a familiar way of addressing someone
They felt the waiter was being overly familiar.
Ray Olson, Booklist, 15 Oct. 1996
I think one reason I finally have finished a novel about baseball is that it happens to be one of the few subjects that I know much about. If I were as familiar with forestry, music, … or the city of Rotterdam, I am sure I would have written fiction grounded in that knowledge long ago.
—Philip Roth, Reading Myself and Others, 1975
The essay covers familiar ground.
She has become a familiar figure in the world of politics.
She spoke in a familiar way about her past.
an essay written in a familiar style
a familiar way of addressing someone
They felt the waiter was being overly familiar.
Recent Examples on the Web
Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 22 Mar. 2023
The town is populated with familiars: her brother, her best friend, a new lover, a new grandniece.
—Condé Nast, The New Yorker, 17 July 2023
Ashar Samdani, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
Being the underdog is a familiar role in Tempe, and this team is no different.
—Matthew Self, The Arizona Republic, 22 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for familiar 
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Noun
The roaming vampire was hanging out in front of the movie theater with his human familiars, all fully armed and ready to throw down for their undead master.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 22 Mar. 2023
The town is populated with familiars: her brother, her best friend, a new lover, a new grandniece.
—Condé Nast, The New Yorker, 17 July 2023
Adjective
Training is half-hearted, and employees revert to familiar practices, refusing to fully leverage the new tools at their disposal.
—Ashar Samdani, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
Being the underdog is a familiar role in Tempe, and this team is no different.
—Matthew Self, The Arizona Republic, 22 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for familiar
Dictionary Entries Near familiar
Cite this Entry
“Familiar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/familiar. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
familiar
1 of 2 noun
fa·mil·iar
fə-ˈmil-yər
1
: a close associate : companion
2
: a spirit believed to serve or guard a person
called also familiar spirit
familiar
2 of 2 adjective1
: closely acquainted : intimate
2
a
: informal sense 1
spoke in a familiar way
b
: too friendly or bold : forward
3
a
: frequently seen or experienced
b
: of everyday occurrence
4
: having a good knowledge
familiar with the rules
familiarly
adverb
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