stranger

1 of 3

noun

strang·​er ˈstrān-jər 

1

: one who is strange: such as

a(1)

: foreigner

(2)

: a resident alien

b

: one in the house of another as a guest, visitor, or intruder

c

: a person or thing that is unknown or with whom one is unacquainted

d

: one who does not belong to or is kept from the activities of a group

e

: one not privy or party to an act, contract, or title : one that interferes without right

2

: one ignorant of or unacquainted with someone or something

stranger

2 of 3

adjective

: of, relating to, or being a stranger : foreign

stranger

3 of 3

verb

strangered; strangering; strangers

transitive verb

obsolete

: estrange, alienate

Synonyms

Noun

• foreigner
• nonnative
• outlander
• outsider

Examples of stranger in a Sentence

Noun

Children are taught not to talk to strangers.

He is a complete stranger to me.

“Excuse me. Do you know where the library is?” “I'm sorry. I'm a stranger here myself.”

I'm a stranger to the area.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Stranger Things star Dacre Montgomery and Vicky Krieps (Old, Phantom Thread) play the titular Jack and Jill, two strangers connected through their troubled relationship to Elizabeth — the mother who abandoned Jack and was Jill’s domineering and lover. —Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Nov. 2024

The show, which brings strangers together to marry upon their first meeting, is skipping a week, with episodes to return on Tuesday, Nov. 12. 1,000-lb Sisters Another popular TLC reality show, 1,000-lb Sisters, will be pausing its programming this week as well. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024

Adjective

Among the stranger choices that Ben Cooper Inc. made was insisting nearly every vinyl jumpsuit depict an image of the character you were dressed as. —Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2024

Shyamalan, characteristically, took the story in a stranger direction. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 30 July 2024

Verb

She will be passed from stranger to stranger for the next two years—foster homes, shelters, juvenile detention. —Alex Mar, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English straunger, straungier "foreigner, alien, unfamiliar person, outsider," borrowed from Anglo-French estranger, estraunger "outsider, foreigner, unfamiliar person" (as adjective) "not related by blood, foreign" (also continental Middle French estrangier), from estrange "foreign, strange entry 1" + -er, -ier -er entry 2

Adjective

from attributive use of stranger entry 1

Verb

derivative of stranger entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1606, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing stranger

• no stranger to

Kids Definition

stranger

noun

strang·​er

ˈstrān-jər

1

: one who is strange

2

a

: foreigner

b

: guest sense 1, visitor

c

: a person with whom or a thing with which one is unacquainted

Legal Definition

stranger

noun

strang·​er

: someone who is not a party or in privity with a party (as to a contract or legal action)

may be enforced against a stranger to the contract