lost familiarity with

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of a sentence 'lost familiarity with' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase to describe a feeling of no longer being accustomed to something, either because of a long absence or lack of experience. For example: After many years away from home, I felt a lost familiarity with the town I grew up in.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Gradually, as judges lost familiarity with Sanskrit, the ancient texts began to be replaced with contemporary, cosmopolitan juridical and social concepts.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

He loses familiarity with previously familiar things, such as his house, bedroom, arrangement of his bedroom, roads in his neighborhood, and so on.

WikiHow

Argentina may also be about to lose familiarity with France.

The New York Times - Sports

Reach refers to the size of your audience, richness to the intricacy and customisation of the services you can offer, and affiliation to the extent to which you are seen to respond to your customer's interests.In the physical world, these often have to be traded off against each other: go for a big audience and you lose familiarity with individual preferences, for example.

The Economist

CBO's report says the long-term unemployed lose familiarity with developing technologies as their job-finding social networks deteriorate, but it hints at another reason those folks can't find jobs: Employers don't want them because nobody else does.

Huffington Post

Or perhaps "cinestalgia," since we experience this strange newness as a kind of lost familiarity.

The New Yorker

It is, as you will see, based on the belief that judges have far more to lose from familiarity with the media".

The Guardian

You will lose some familiarity with your work, and much more easily be able to spot mistakes, omissions, poor sentence structure etc.

WikiHow

It is a place where the art of the hustle can get lost amid the players' familiarity with one another.

The New York Times

"Lost" requires a vague familiarity with names that turn up on the syllabus for an introductory political theory class, but "Crusoe" just demands caffeine.

The New York Times - Arts

It's common, when intimacy is lost, to withdraw from familiarity with others, as well.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing a decline in expertise or understanding, use "lost familiarity with" to emphasize the gradual nature of the loss. For example, "The long-term unemployed can "lost familiarity with" developing technologies."

Common error

Avoid using "lost familiarity with" when you mean to describe a similarity between two things. "Familiarity" refers to the state of knowing something well, while "similarity" refers to the state of being alike. For example, don't say "He "lost familiarity with" the two concepts" if you mean "He noted the similarity between the two concepts".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lost familiarity with" functions as a verb phrase, often acting as part of the predicate in a sentence. As Ludwig AI indicates, it describes a state of diminished or absent understanding or knowledge, often due to lack of recent experience or prolonged absence.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

39%

Wiki

18%

Science

16%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "lost familiarity with" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression that describes a decline in knowledge, skill, or understanding. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's suitable for various contexts, though most frequently found in news and media. When using this phrase, be sure to emphasize the gradual nature of the loss and to differentiate it from a complete absence of knowledge. Alternatives like "became unaccustomed to" or "grew unfamiliar with" can add nuance to your writing. Understanding the contexts and potential errors associated with this phrase will help you communicate more effectively.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

became unaccustomed to

Focuses on the process of losing a habit or skill.

grew unfamiliar with

Highlights the gradual development of unfamiliarity.

forgotten knowledge of

Emphasizes the loss of previously held information.

weakened connection to

Focuses on the reduction of an emotional or intellectual link.

decreased understanding of

Highlights a reduction in comprehension.

eroded awareness of

Emphasizes a gradual decline in consciousness or perception.

faded memory of

Focuses on the weakening of a past recollection.

lapsed awareness of

Highlights a temporary or permanent cessation of awareness.

waning knowledge of

Emphasizes the decreasing amount of information known.

reduced acquaintance with

Focuses on diminished or casual knowledge of something.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "lost familiarity with" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "became unaccustomed to", "grew unfamiliar with", or "experienced a decline in knowledge of". These alternatives offer a more elevated style while conveying the same core meaning.

Is it correct to use "lost familiarity of" instead of "lost familiarity with"?

No, the correct preposition to use with "familiarity" in this context is "with". Saying "lost familiarity of" is grammatically incorrect. Always use "lost familiarity with".

What's the difference between "lost familiarity with" and "lost knowledge of"?

"Lost familiarity with" suggests a decline in understanding or skill due to lack of exposure or practice. "Lost knowledge of", on the other hand, implies a complete forgetting of information.

Can "lost familiarity with" be used to describe a loss of emotional connection?

While primarily used for knowledge or skills, "lost familiarity with" can metaphorically describe a weakened emotional connection. For example, "After years apart, they lost familiarity with each other's personalities."