familiarize

American  

[fuh-mil-yuh-rahyz] / fəˈmɪl jəˌraɪz /

especially British, familiarise

verb (used with object)

• familiarizes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• familiarized,
  past participle,  past
• familiarizing
  present participle

1. to make (onself or another person) well-acquainted or conversant with something.

   Synonyms:

   acquaint, accustom

2. to make (something) well-known; bring into common knowledge or use.

3. Archaic. to make familiar; establish (a person) in friendly intimacy.

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verb (used without object)

• familiarizes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• familiarized,
  past participle,  past
• familiarizing
  present participle

1. Archaic. to associate in a familiar way.

familiarize British  

/ fəˈmɪljəˌraɪz /

verb

1. to make (oneself or someone else) familiar, as with a particular subject

2. to make (something) generally known or accepted

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• familiarization
  noun
• familiarizer
  noun
• refamiliarization
  noun
• refamiliarize
  verb (used with object)
• unfamiliarized
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• familiarizing
  present
• familiarized
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• familiarize
  simple
• familiarizes
  simple
• have familiarized
  perfect
• has familiarized
  perfect
• am familiarizing
  progressive
• are familiarizing
  progressive
• is familiarizing
  progressive
• have been familiarizing
  perfect progressive
• has been familiarizing
  perfect progressive

Past

• familiarized
  simple
• had familiarized
  perfect
• was familiarizing
  progressive
• were familiarizing
  progressive
• had been familiarizing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will familiarize
  simple
• will have familiarized
  perfect
• will be familiarizing
  progressive
• will have been familiarizing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of familiarize

First recorded in 1600–10; familiar + -ize

Explanation

To familiarize yourself with something is to learn about it or become comfortable with it. Once you familiarize yourself with the unusual spices, you'll probably find Indian food delicious. You can familiarize yourself with the alphabet and particular sounds of a language before you start learning to speak it, and you can also familiarize a young child with the rules before her first trip to an art museum. Originally, familiarize meant "to make well-known," from familiar, from the Latin familiaris, "familiar or intimate," and the verb-forming suffix -ize.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

familiarize familiarizes familiarized familiarizing

Without needing to build a website or familiarize themselves with a forum, any netizen could start or join a conversation at any time.

From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026

But the 21-year-old in Calgary says he did familiarize himself with the Wikipedia page.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

Seniors who do own their own home can also look into reverse-mortgage counseling, if only to familiarize themselves with the issue.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 15, 2026

You’ll also want to familiarize yourself with the current market.

From MarketWatch ● May 29, 2026

I walked around to familiarize myself with my vicinity.

From "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah

A jagged, Tarantinian flashback structure slowly familiarizes us with the plotters.

From New York Times ● Apr. 6, 2023

She familiarizes herself with an Ulla Johnson or a Proenza Schouler because she comes to Rent the Runway.

From The Verge ● Jul. 26, 2022

This familiarizes children with a variety of foods and makes it more likely for them to enjoy a wider selection of healthful options in the long run.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 11, 2021

In 2019, there are only five major conferences, but there are enough broadcast outlets to ensure that no announcing team ever familiarizes itself with any individual program.

From Slate ● Nov. 7, 2019

This chapter also familiarizes the reader with each method’s philosophy and principles, unique pedagogy, and practices and activities.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

They also reviewed the spacecraft's interior layout, tested communication systems, and familiarized themselves with the sounds produced by Dragon's fans and pumps.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 2, 2026

Business was steady, and working long shifts behind the counter familiarized them with the neighborhood and community.

From Slate ● Dec. 4, 2024

"We are just trying to get them familiarized with our language and culture," she wrote on Jan. 29, 2022.

From Salon ● Nov. 22, 2022

And I’m sure everyone participating in this debate has first familiarized themselves with the long history of political conflicts in the Taiwan Strait.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2022

The woman told me to bring the food in as they called for it, and I familiarized myself with the kitchen so that I could act quickly when called upon.

From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright

The slowdown drill is Taiwan’s first, the office of the president said, aimed at familiarizing the public with “how to ensure uninterrupted communication for themselves and their families in emergencies.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026

Moving forward, be sure you’re properly preparing for your interview, meaning you are researching the company and familiarizing yourself with the other players in the industry.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 16, 2026

Covering the criminal justice system in Louisiana often means familiarizing myself with things people in other parts of the country might find shocking.

From Salon ● Sep. 3, 2025

She said it is where her children have grown up, familiarizing themselves with every inch.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 15, 2023

After I finished familiarizing myself with the area, I sat down and tried to think about how I was going to get out of the forest.

From "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah

Related Words

• enlighten
• naturalize