familiar Synonyms
Another word for familiar
• adjective (Context 1)
Well known from long or close association; easily recognized because previously experienced or encountered.
"It was a relief to see a well-known face in the crowded airport terminal."
• adjective (Context 2)
Having a good knowledge or understanding of something (usually followed by 'with').
"All laboratory assistants must be thoroughly acquainted with the safety protocols before handling chemicals."
• adjective (Context 3)
Involving or characterized by close friendship, informality, or personal intimacy; sometimes excessively or presumptuously informal.
"The diplomat maintained a polite distance and avoided becoming too intimate with the local press."
• noun (Context 4)
In European folklore and superstition, a supernatural spirit or demon often embodied in an animal such as a black cat, owl, or toad, believed to attend and serve a witch or magician.
"In many early modern witchcraft trials, a household pet was suspected of being a witch's familiar spirit."
• noun (Context 5)
A close friend or associate with whom one has regular, informal contact.
"The courtyard was reserved for the duke and a small circle of his trusted familiars."
Opposites of familiar
The opposite of familiar shifts depending on context. Common opposites include: