1
a
: a Celtic group especially in the Scottish Highlands comprising a number of households whose heads claim descent from a common ancestor
the MacDonald clan
b
: a group of people tracing descent from a common ancestor : family
The whole clan gets together for the holidays.
2
: a group united by a common interest or common characteristics
the country club clan
Synonyms
Examples of clan in a Sentence
The tribe is divided into clans.
The whole clan gets together for the holidays.
Recent Examples on the Web
That’s because the kooky performances help bring every wild scene and gothic set piece to life, as an oddly macabre clan (helmed by Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston) spars with a con man who resembles their lost relative.
—
Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 16 Apr. 2024
Israeli officials have sought to cultivate their own relations with Palestinian clans and businessmen who have clashed with Hamas in the past.
—Hazem Balousha, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024
Menominee has a total of 34 clans, represented by different animals and map the social structure of traditional Menominee society.
—Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2024
Aid groups have also relied on neighborhood committees — organized around influential clans — to help organize deliveries.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2024
Songs longer than books, clans ruled by women, caves that flickered with a thousand tiny faces peering out from the stone.
—Carina Del Valle Schorske, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
In that time, the Magic Mike star has integrated himself into the Kravitz clan, making an appearance at Lenny’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony last week (March 12).
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 18 Mar. 2024
Situated on the bank of the Dee river in Scotland’s Cairngorms National Park, the Balmoral estate has been the Scottish residence of the clan since 1852, when it was bought by Prince Albert for his wife, Queen Victoria.
—Billy Stockwell, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
The new site restores everything the previous site hosted and more, including photos, recordings, clan stories and maps.
—Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2024
Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 16 Apr. 2024
Israeli officials have sought to cultivate their own relations with Palestinian clans and businessmen who have clashed with Hamas in the past.
—Hazem Balousha, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024
Menominee has a total of 34 clans, represented by different animals and map the social structure of traditional Menominee society.
—Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2024
Aid groups have also relied on neighborhood committees — organized around influential clans — to help organize deliveries.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2024
Songs longer than books, clans ruled by women, caves that flickered with a thousand tiny faces peering out from the stone.
—Carina Del Valle Schorske, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
In that time, the Magic Mike star has integrated himself into the Kravitz clan, making an appearance at Lenny’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony last week (March 12).
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 18 Mar. 2024
Situated on the bank of the Dee river in Scotland’s Cairngorms National Park, the Balmoral estate has been the Scottish residence of the clan since 1852, when it was bought by Prince Albert for his wife, Queen Victoria.
—Billy Stockwell, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
The new site restores everything the previous site hosted and more, including photos, recordings, clan stories and maps.
—Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clan.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near clan
Cite this Entry
“Clan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clan. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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