familiarize themselves

USAGE SUMMARY

"familiarize themselves" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It means to make oneself familiar or knowledgeable about something. It can be used in various contexts, such as when learning a new skill or when explaining a process to someone. Example: Before starting the new job, the employees were given a handbook to familiarize themselves with the company's policies and procedures. Another example: As part of their training, the soldiers had to familiarize themselves with the layout of the base and its emergency protocols.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

We want them to familiarize themselves with our communities and with our issues".

The New York Times

But travelers should familiarize themselves with the new currencies' security features.

The New York Times - Travel

Women will vote in women-only enclosures and so should familiarize themselves with the candidates' pictures.

The New York Times

It is important for detectives to familiarize themselves with this type of criminal.

The New Yorker

At times, he went on the offensive, suggesting that council members familiarize themselves with the law.

The New York Times

It takes time for concertgoers to familiarize themselves with an artist's work.

The New York Times - Arts

This chapter encourages the reader to familiarize themselves with plastics.

Plastics Inside Out

Great numbers of patients use the Internet to obtain information and familiarize themselves with medical conditions.

International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

With this mnemonic, the clinicians may easily familiarize themselves with TACs.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Participants were given the opportunity to conduct two practice series to familiarize themselves with the game.

Brain Informatics

Participants were given sufficient time to familiarize themselves with the task and user interface.

Human-centric Computing and Information Sciences

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "familiarize themselves" ensure that the context provides clear indication of what "themselves" refers to.

Common error

Avoid using "familiarize themselves" when the subject is singular. Use "familiarize himself" or "familiarize herself" depending on the subject's gender.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "familiarize themselves" functions as a reflexive verb phrase. It indicates that a subject or group of subjects are actively making themselves knowledgeable or acquainted with something. Ludwig examples show its usage in diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

46%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "familiarize themselves" is a grammatically correct and widely used reflexive verb phrase that describes a process of subjects becoming knowledgeable about something. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage. It's frequently found in scientific, news, and formal business contexts, suggesting a neutral to formal register. To ensure correct usage, remember that the subject must be plural or collective. Alternative phrases include "acquaint themselves with" and "get to know", offering similar meanings with slight variations in formality. When writing, pay attention to the context to choose the most appropriate phrasing. The contexts are rated as correct and usable. With a source quality score of 82, the expert rating has been quantified with 4.6 out of 5 which indicates high confidence about this entry.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

acquaint themselves with

This alternative uses "acquaint" instead of "familiarize", implying a slightly more formal introduction.

get acquainted with

Very similar to "acquaint themselves with", emphasizing the initial stage of getting to know something.

make themselves aware of

Highlights the process of becoming conscious of something.

gain familiarity with

Shifts the focus to the acquisition of familiarity as a result.

become conversant with

This alternative suggests gaining a working knowledge of something.

inform themselves of

Focuses on gathering information, often from external sources.

get to know

This is a more informal way to say "familiarize themselves", suitable for casual contexts.

educate themselves about

This suggests a more deliberate and in-depth learning process.

get up to speed on

This phrase implies quickly learning the essential information about a topic.

study up on

Suggests an intentional approach to learn about it.

FAQs

How to use "familiarize themselves" in a sentence?

You can use "familiarize themselves" to describe a group learning about something, such as, "The students need to "familiarize themselves" with the new software.".

What can I say instead of "familiarize themselves"?

Alternatives include "acquaint themselves with", "get to know", or "become conversant with", depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Which is correct, "familiarize themselves" or "familiarize itself"?

"Familiarize themselves" is used for plural or collective subjects, while "familiarize itself" is used when a singular, non-human subject is learning something. For example: "The company should "familiarize itself" with the regulations".

What's the difference between "familiarize themselves" and "introduce themselves"?

"Familiarize themselves" means to learn or become acquainted with something. "Introduce themselves" means to make one's name and details known to others. They have completely different meanings.