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.

---

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

---

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

As you open up the cats to more rooms in your home, make sure you keep an eye on them and familiarize yourself with all the hiding spots.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

Department of Water and Power, the Phoenix-born artist would often carry his camera and familiarize himself with the city while working as a meter reader.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

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

The only thing all the intended disorientation had accomplished was to familiarize her with the building.

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas

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

She added that it was “pretty cool” that many of Swift’s fans are getting familiarized with football because of the relationship.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2023

It's a change from her previous albums "Hot Pink" and Grammy-nominated "Planet Her," which fans familiarized themselves with her pop sound and look.

From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2023

I don’t remind him that I still haven’t even seen Mr. X, let alone familiarized myself with his luggage.

From "Liar & Spy" by Rebecca Stead

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

Start by familiarizing yourself with the fundamentals of the stock that is the focus of the article you’re reading.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 4, 2026

By familiarizing yourself with local tenant protection laws and planning as best as possible, you can help find yourself with sky-high rent far above everyday market prices.

From Salon ● Feb. 15, 2025

I wasn’t just watching TV, I was talking to other fans online, familiarizing myself with publications and reading critics from every corner of the internet.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 7, 2023

I’m near Old Town, familiarizing myself with the River Run route, and when I turn, I see a woman with her two children waving at me from across the street.

From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen

Related Words

• enlighten
• naturalize