familiar

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "familiar" is correct and usable in written English.
It is often used as an adjective to refer to someone or something that you know well from previous experience. For example, "I'm familiar with the area, so I can help you find the store."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Lifestyle

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Sounds familiar.

The New York Times - Books

Change the actors – and the stakes – and it's a tired plotline familiar to many governments across the world.

The Guardian - Business

It does not accord with our long established practice with which those who practice in this area of the law are familiar.

The Guardian

Cookey reverted to her more familiar role at GA.

The Guardian - Sport

Such things tend to put to shame what went before but it has already become a familiar story.

The Guardian - Sport

Clicking the start button brings up a menu, which – although isn't exactly the same as Windows 7 or those before it – is more familiar than the full-screen tiled interface of Windows 8.

The Guardian - Tech

We'd laugh about it later, but at the time it was terrifying, partly because it was vaguely familiar.

The Guardian - Opinion

As Swiss prosecutors began questioning 10 Fifa executive committee members over their role in the controversial vote for the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Blatter vowed to ride out the storm in a familiar fashion ahead of Friday's presidential election.

The Guardian - Sport

A source familiar with the Whitehall preparations told the Guardian that officials were worried that the Queen's presence could be misinterpreted, should the election on 7 May produce a hung parliament.

The Guardian

What's unusual about the New Jersey bar case is that the plaintiffs are not the familiar type in these cases: motorists or stop-and-frisk victims outraged by what they say are invasive searches and a willful disregard by police for privacy rights.

The Guardian

Black Lives Matter emerged as the most cohesive movement, with membership across the country and sweeping demands – if not exactly an organisational structure as familiar as establishment civil rights groups.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing something as "familiar", ensure the context clarifies why it is familiar to the audience. Specify the basis of the familiarity to enhance clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "familiar" vaguely. Instead of saying "the situation was familiar", specify to whom it was familiar and why. For example, "the situation was familiar to her because she had experienced it before."

Linguistic Context

The word "familiar" primarily functions as an adjective. It is used to describe something or someone that is known, easily recognized, or closely associated with a person or thing. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in numerous contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Sport

17%

Lifestyle

12%

Less common in

Tech

5%

Travel

5%

Opinion

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the term "familiar" is a versatile adjective used to describe something that is well-known or easily recognized. According to Ludwig AI, the word is considered grammatically correct and very common, with diverse applications across News & Media, Sport, and Lifestyle contexts. When using "familiar", it's crucial to provide sufficient context to clarify the basis of the familiarity. For alternative expressions, consider using "well-known", "acquainted with", or "conversant with", each carrying subtly different nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

well-known

Indicates widespread knowledge or recognition; focuses on the extent of awareness.

acquainted with

Implies having some knowledge or experience of something, often less deep than "familiar".

conversant with

Suggests a competent level of knowledge about a subject.

intimate with

Indicates a very close and personal knowledge.

abreast of

Implies being up-to-date with the latest information or developments.

conscious of

Implies awareness or realization of something.

experienced with

Highlights practical knowledge gained through direct involvement.

knowledgeable about

Emphasizes possessing a significant amount of information.

proficient in

Suggests a high degree of skill or competence.

comfortable with

Indicates ease and confidence in dealing with something.

FAQs

How can I use "familiar" in a sentence?

You can use "familiar" to describe something you know well, like: "The song sounded "familiar", though I couldn't place it."

What's the difference between "familiar" and "well-known"?

"Familiar" implies personal experience or knowledge, while "well-known" suggests widespread recognition. Something can be "well-known" without being "familiar" to you.

Which is correct, "familiar with" or "familiar to"?

Both are correct, but they have different usages. "Familiar with" is used when you are acquainted with something, while "familiar to" is used when something is known by someone. For example, "I am "familiar with" the software" and "Her face is "familiar to" me".

What can I say instead of "I am familiar with"?

You can use alternatives like "I am "acquainted with"", "I am "conversant with"", or "I am "knowledgeable about"" depending on the context.