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unaccustomed

unaccustomed

7 5.3
Not used to something so it feels strange
  • adjective
  • /ˌʌnəˈkʌstəmd/
translation icon : no acostumbrado
  • After moving to the city, she felt unaccustomed to the noise and activity around her.
  • unaccustomed freedom

Examples

  • "Excuse me," he said in the voice of one clearly unaccustomed to apologizing.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • If not immediately successful, or if new athletes experience unaccustomed failure, they can easily change activities.

    Academic text (2004)
  • Ladies and gentlemen, unaccustomed as I am to public speaking--

  • But it could not be easy to carry such unaccustomed weight with never a chance for ease.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The Tlingits are a reserved and private people, unaccustomed to asking or being asked questions.

    Academic text (1990)
  • Norville is holding one hand up to shield his eyes from the unaccustomed light.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • The American faculty is sensitive to the fact that students are unaccustomed to give-and-take classroom behavior.

    Academic text (1990)
  • You're gonna have to excuse my rusticated friend, unaccustomed as he is to city manners.

  • The pro-civil rights forces performed with an unaccustomed display of parliamentary discipline and teamwork.

    Academic text (1992)
  • Johanna felt herself blush at the unaccustomed praise from her mother-in-law, "Oh, thank you."

    Fiction book (1992)

Synonyms

unfamiliar
vsunaccustomed
104 4.4

Not known or seen before

is about lack of prior exposure or adaptation rather than only being unknown
unfamiliar with
vsunaccustomed
29 4.1

Not knowing much about something

points to general lack of exposure rather than specific lack of knowledge
unaccustomed to
vsunaccustomed
4 5.3

Not used to something because you have not done it often

is the same meaning but appears without the following preposition
unused to
vsunaccustomed
3 4.2

Not familiar with a thing or situation

stresses the idea in a more general or neutral way
unacquainted
vsunaccustomed
1 6.5

Not familiar with someone or something

is more about not being comfortable in situations rather than mere ignorance
unacquainted with
vsunaccustomed
1 6.7

Not knowing about something because you have no experience with it

stresses not being comfortable in new situations rather than lacking facts
unwonted
vsunaccustomed
  • Literature
1 9.9

Not usual or expected in a situation

expresses general lack of prior exposure but in more common speech
unhabituated
vsunaccustomed
8.2

Not used to a new place or situation and finding it difficult to adjust

focuses on lack of settling in rather than simply being unknown
unadapted
vsunaccustomed
7.3

Not used to new conditions and so struggle to live or work there

focuses on general lack of exposure rather than need for change

Antonyms

793 1.0

Well known because you have seen or experienced it before

5 3.4

Familiar with something because you do it often

Idioms

Not used to something because you have not done it often

How Familiar

accustomed
5 3.4
familiar
793 1.0
unaccustomed
7 5.3
unfamiliar
104 4.4
strange
2.3

Surface Forms

unaccustomed positive

Morphology

unaccustomed = accustomed (transparent) = un + accustomed

Formed by adding the negative prefix 'un-' to 'accustomed', preserving the compositional meaning 'not used to'.

Etymology

Unaccustomed breaks into un- meaning 'not' and accustom, which comes from custom meaning 'habit' or 'usual way'. So unaccustomed simply means 'not used to' something or that it feels 'unusual'.