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Meaning & use

unfamiliar places

phrase·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˌʌnfəˈmɪliə ˈpleɪsɪz/
US/ˌʌnfəˈmɪliər ˈpleɪsɪz/

Meaning

  1. phraseplural

    Locations that you do not know or have not been to before.

    Grammar: Always plural in this form; for one location use 'an unfamiliar place'.

    Patterns

    • in unfamiliar places
    • travel to unfamiliar places
    • feel lost in unfamiliar places

    She likes to explore unfamiliar places when she travels.

    It's easy to get lost in unfamiliar places without a map.

    He felt nervous walking through unfamiliar places at night.

Word forms

singularunfamiliar place

Common combinations

travel to unfamiliar places
They enjoy traveling to unfamiliar places and trying new food.
get lost in unfamiliar places
I always get lost in unfamiliar places.
feel uncomfortable in unfamiliar places
Some people feel uncomfortable in unfamiliar places.
explore unfamiliar places
The app helps you explore unfamiliar places safely.

Synonyms and how they differ

strange places
'Strange' can suggest oddness or unease, while 'unfamiliar' simply means not known to you.
unknown places
'Unknown' is more absolute; 'unfamiliar' suggests you have not experienced it personally.

Opposites

familiar placesknown places

Word family

familiar adjective
Well known to you; easy to recognize.
unfamiliarity noun
The state of not being known or recognized.

Commonly confused: unfamiliar places or unfamiliar to?

unfamiliar places vs unfamiliar to

Use 'unfamiliar to someone': 'The streets are unfamiliar to me.' Do not say 'unfamiliar for me'.

Practice

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