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

The group of five rescues at the Brookfield Zoo was no different, and the young monkeys are learning to rely on each other as they get used to construction noises and strangers behind the scenes at the zoo. —Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2025

The Bible calls us to welcome the stranger and defend the vulnerable. —Juan Peña, The Denver Post, 16 Feb. 2025

Adjective

Delores is instantly drawn to this studly stranger, who claims to have killed the beast with his bare hands. —Peter Debruge, Variety, 25 Jan. 2025

In one particularly grabbing scene that proves the importance of Ehle and McNairy’s involvement, Tracey confronts Roy about this, sharing some of her homemade brew as well imploring this kind stranger not to screw over her girls as others have before. —Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2025

Verb

Once inside, Gibson scanned a sea of white people who filled the bleachers and packed together in lawn chairs, most of them strangers to him except for a few who worked at the public school district. —Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 19 Dec. 2024

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