clique

noun

ˈklik How to pronounce clique (audio)
Definition of cliquenext
as in circle
a group of people sharing a common interest and relating together socially that clique refuses to even talk to outsiders at their lunch table

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of clique That era involved small cliques of devs talking a big game about decentralization (which often provided a pretext for no accountability) while shilling tokens at all turns. — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 20 July 2026 Bradač’s work looked at Ramsey numbers, which tell mathematicians exactly how large a graph can become before it’s guaranteed to gain a clique or independent set. — Sam MacDonald, Scientific American, 15 July 2026 But then there was another clique of women's basketball fans that suddenly had a problem with Clark. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 July 2026 Since its inception, social media has been a proving ground for tween fashion and identity, offering under-16s a digital canvas to experiment with their style and form online cliques around niche interests. — Sophie Lou Wilson, Vogue, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for clique
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clique
  1. circle
  2. crowd
  3. network
  4. community
  5. bunch
  6. gang
  7. pack
  8. clan
Noun
  • Everyone in McCollough’s circle could see she was consumed by the relationship.
    — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Toward the end of their rally, supporters formed a circle, said the Lord’s Prayer, held up their arms and formed hearts with their hands.
    — Michael Casey, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of circle
Noun
  • The team is playing to a smaller crowd and its matches are being streamed, not broadcast.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Forecasting tournaments and election markets have beaten their baselines, but no study has shown a crowd signal can be traded profitably at scale.
    — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of crowd
Noun
  • One of the biggest inefficiencies keeping electricity costs high lies in the distribution network itself, Manga said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Bezos, who stepped down as CEO five years ago, pledged in 2013 to build a network of drones to deliver small packages in 30 minutes or less.
    — Annie Palmer, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of network
Noun
  • Amenities and experiences Guests head out on game drives, nature walks, and morning excursions with Herero and Himba communities, returning back to cocktails next to the pool in the main lounge area.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
  • But communities already are scrambling to store up road salt for the snowy season ahead.
    — Steve Zalusky, Chicago Tribune, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of community
Noun
  • Gather a bunch of people who have never lived on their own before, and there’s a good chance that not all of them will be conscientious about cleanliness.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Emmy voters are not a sentimental bunch, and the categories are stacked and fiercely competitive.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of bunch
Noun
  • But the law caught up to him, and he was indicted in late 2012 as part of a larger gang takedown.
    — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The family sat grim-faced and rarely physically reacted to the extensive testimony about gang violence and Tupac Shakur’s doomed trip to Las Vegas.
    — Andy Rose, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of gang
Noun
  • Target Compostable food storage bags Reduce waste and shop a pack of 145 compostable, resealable bags in various sizes for snacks, sandwiches and more.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Even though the Chargers ranked a middle-of-the-pack 17th in net punting average last season, JK Scott garnered more respect than that.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of pack
Noun
  • Prince Harry and Meghan’s surprise homecoming will undoubtedly trigger a frenzy of speculation in Britain where the Windsor clan’s family dramas routinely grip the nation.
    — Max Foster, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The historic home, situated between Via Rodari and Piazza Roma, dates to the 16th and 17th centuries and takes its name from a noble clan that included Pope Innocent XI, head of the Catholic Church in the late 1600s.
    — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of clan

Browse Nearby Words

clips
clique
cliques
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clique.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clique. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tilde

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All