as in cliquish
bound together by feelings of very close association
a clannish family that can be rather cool to outsiders
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Recent Examples of clannish
The most successful of those managers have carved out a niche catering to the valley’s famously clannish billionaire elites.
—
James McClain, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2023
There are a broad spectrum of other possible explanations for the disparate outcomes Boegeman cites, including religious differences, geographic differences, even — gasp — the clannish propensity of ethnic groups to band together and create — or retain — their unique cultural traditions.
—Star Tribune, 19 July 2021
The Trumps are nothing if not clannish.
—Hari Kunzru, The New York Review of Books, 2 July 2020
In Afghanistan, legitimate authority has traditionally been highly localized, a product of consensus rather than brute force, and firmly anchored in tribal, clannish, and kinship structures.
—Jonah Blank, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2011
See All Example Sentences for clannish
James McClain, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2023
There are a broad spectrum of other possible explanations for the disparate outcomes Boegeman cites, including religious differences, geographic differences, even — gasp — the clannish propensity of ethnic groups to band together and create — or retain — their unique cultural traditions.
—Star Tribune, 19 July 2021
The Trumps are nothing if not clannish.
—Hari Kunzru, The New York Review of Books, 2 July 2020
In Afghanistan, legitimate authority has traditionally been highly localized, a product of consensus rather than brute force, and firmly anchored in tribal, clannish, and kinship structures.
—Jonah Blank, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2011
See All Example Sentences for clannish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clannish
Adjective
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Will that mean a five-year, $150 million deal or a more club-friendly contract around $130 million?—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
17 Oct. 2025
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Delhi is motivated by revisiting historical connections with Afghanistan, securing potential economic and trade access to Central Asia, and establishing a friendly presence on Pakistan’s western flank with potential strategic benefits.—
Happymon Jacob,
Time,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The way the members of Seventeen are so close-knit and truly like brothers is something their fans, known as Carats, adore.—
Kristine Kwak,
Rolling Stone,
29 Sep. 2025
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Their neighborhood and school make up a small and close-knit community where people know each other.—
Shimon Prokupecz,
CNN Money,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The Friends set was notorious for being cliquey and insular.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
Vulture,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But after the offense scored just one goal against Uxbridge, Quinn and the coaching staff made the move to push Schneider – one of the Porkers’ best finishers – back up to her familiar center-forward position against Canton, along with a couple of other changes.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
17 Oct. 2025
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Which means the vagaries of late October are pretty familiar for this franchise and the bulk of these players.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clannish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clannish. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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