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family

noun

ˈfam-lē How to pronounce family (audio)
Definition of familynext
1
as in clan
a group of persons who come from the same ancestor the Adams family made remarkable contributions to American life for more than two centuries

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in kind
one of the units into which a whole is divided on the basis of a common characteristic the flute, the clarinet, the oboe, and other members of the woodwind family

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 family The Moon enters warmhearted Leo, drawing your attention toward comfort, family, and the space around you. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 7 Sep. 2026 But living on one income has led to cuts to the family's budget, the Indianapolis woman said. — Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026 But at Erica’s home, the family was already starting to worry that Erica hadn’t come home. — Yana Johnson, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026 Organizers said donations could be used for legal defense, moving the family, basic living expenses, transportation, counseling and security. — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for family
Recent Examples of Synonyms for family
  1. clan
  2. kind
  3. house
  4. category
  5. tribe
  6. group
  7. folks
  8. people
Noun
  • It’s believed that the original fortress went up in the 14th century, about 200 years before the Kato clan took control of Ozu.
    — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Just months after the Tate murders, Joel Pugh — the 29-year-old boyfriend of Manson clan member Sandra Good — was found dead in the Talgarth Hotel in London.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of clan
Noun
  • Allegheny Health Network put its emergency trauma center network to the test Thursday with a first-of-its-kind mock river rescue exercise for the network at Allegheny General Hospital.
    — Jessica Riley, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • At a quantum level, though, these reductions are happening in jumps, and Safavi-Naeini’s team measured them in real time, a first-of-its-kind achievement.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of kind
Noun
  • Not long after, the teen got into a vehicle with Marcareno, made a U-turn and drove past the house, where Rodriguez Fernandez fired six shots from the passenger seat — striking and killing a woman, according to court records.
    — Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The state doesn’t even know the mother and daughter exist until social workers arrive at the house in the aftermath of Ralph’s accidental death while working a construction site.
    — Entertainment Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of house
Noun
  • Associate membership doesn't currently exist as a formal category under EU treaties, and any such arrangement would need to be created and ratified by member states.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026
  • All four acts received nominations in the major three record of the year, album of the year and song of the year categories.
    — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of category
Noun
  • The project carries the official blessing of Baker’s sons Jean-Claude Bouillon Baker and Brian Bouillon Baker, along with the Rainbow tribe.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The passage about the group of hippies going out to the pueblo and giving the Native kids LSD and hooking up on the tribe’s sacred ground until they get run off is priceless.
    — Maggie McGowan, The New York Review of Books, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of tribe
Noun
  • The opposition appears to have only solidified two months before the midterm elections, despite significant donations that crypto groups have given to some Democrats in recent years.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The organization will help traditionally Democratic groups like labor and civil society craft AI policy messages, Bores said.
    — Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of group
Noun
  • Just to remind folks, 69% oppose building data centers in their community.
    — NBC news, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026
  • These folks aren’t messing around; everyone is willing to shell out for the best possible experience.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of folks
Noun
  • Another 13 people were wounded on downtown Sacramento’s K Street and 10th Street, in what became the deadliest mass shooting in the city’s history.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 19 June 2026
  • Organizers say more than 125,000 people are expected throughout the event, bringing in millions of dollars for the local economy.
    — Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 19 June 2026
Definition of people

Phrases Containing family

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families
family
family doctor
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Cite this Entry

“Family.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/family. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on family

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about family

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