Familiar vs We're used to husbands coming 'round

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Familiar

Top 1,000 (very common)B1adjective

We're used to husbands coming 'round

Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Most common: Familiar
 FamiliarWe're used to husbands coming 'round
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/fəˈmɪliə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/fəˈmɪliər/"]/🇬🇧 //wɪər juːst tə ˈhʌzbəndz ˈkʌmɪŋ raʊnd//🇺🇸 //wɪr juːst tə ˈhʌzbəndz ˈkʌmɪŋ raʊnd//
MeaningWell-known or recognized.We are familiar with husbands visiting.
ExampleMy grandmother's cooking is very familiar to me because I grew up eating her dishes.We're used to husbands coming 'round for Sunday dinners.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Top 5,000 (fairly common)
CEFR levelB1-
Part of speechadjective
Collocationsbe, feel, look, extremely, fairly, very, to, be, seem, become, extremely, fairly, veryused to doing something, coming around for a visit, used to each other, husbands visiting regularly
Antonymsunfamiliar, unknown-
Common mistakesConfusing 'familiar' with 'family' due to similar spelling., Using 'familiar' without the appropriate preposition (to) after it., Using 'familiarly' in the wrong context.Incorrectly using 'used' without 'to' (i.e., 'We're used husbands')., 'Coming around' confused with 'coming around to' implying agreement., Misinterpreting 'used to' as past tense instead of a state of familiarity.
Usage notesUse 'familiar' in both formal and informal contexts. It's appropriate when talking about something you know well. Avoid using it for professional situations where you need to exhibit more formality.Use when discussing habitual actions or customs. It's informal but widely understood. Avoid in formal writing.

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Familiar
We're used to husbands coming 'round

Frequently asked questions: Familiar vs We're used to husbands coming 'round

What's the difference between Familiar and We're used to husbands coming 'round?

Familiar: Well-known or recognized. We're used to husbands coming 'round: We are familiar with husbands visiting.

Which is more common: Familiar and We're used to husbands coming 'round?

Familiar is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Familiar: My grandmother's cooking is very familiar to me because I grew up eating her dishes. We're used to husbands coming 'round: We're used to husbands coming 'round for Sunday dinners.

Can I use Familiar and We're used to husbands coming 'round interchangeably?

Not always. Familiar and We're used to husbands coming 'round are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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