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 Anixter, Wrigleyville’s beloved ‘Pink Hat Guy,’ died Tuesday night from complications with surgery, according to his family. — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026 The family fought for three hours last July Fourth to stay alive after more than a summer’s worth of rain fell overnight on bone-dry soil, pushing the waterway from about 3 feet to 30 feet in just 45 minutes. — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026 Steve Toussaint’s Lord Corlys knows this all too well, having sacrificed not only his family and legacy, but now his ships and ancestral home in service of Rhaenyra’s claim to the Iron Throne. — Zoe Papelis, Vulture, 6 July 2026 History shows family successions, whether in North Korea or Syria, tend to happen through rigid authoritarian control, with the transfer of power underwritten by whoever controls the military. — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 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. household
Noun
  • Zeenat’s mother was a respected woman in her clan; both of Zeenat’s sisters had married into a Syed family, and her brother worked for the village head and had authority enough to report directly to the local landlord.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026
  • Rhaena is cast out, but the rest of the Velaryon clan are closer than ever.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 June 2026
Definition of clan
Noun
  • Fans will appreciate the one-of-a-kind decor and furnishings, including original seats from the ballpark, an authentic scoreboard and a coffee table signed by Red Sox players.
    — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 2 July 2026
  • Lands’ statement gave no indication of how park officials concluded the liner was cut using a knife of some kind.
    — Drew Pittock, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Definition of kind
Noun
  • Authorities wanted to close what some consider a legal loophole allowing cardrooms to offer blackjack and games in which players play against the house.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Bieber recently brought down the house at this year’s Coachella, playing both weekends as the headliner.
    — Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 9 July 2026
Definition of house
Noun
  • The roster of shows drawing nominations for reality directing was close to the list of top series nominees in the category.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 9 July 2026
  • In the future, should both formats reach 20 submissions in the same year, the Television Academy will automatically split the categories into two again.
    — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
Definition of category
Noun
  • Respective leaders from Micron, INL, the Idaho Potato Commission and the three native tribes each said they were honored to take part in the time capsule project.
    — Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 7 July 2026
  • Learn more about the past and present with a visit to the Wind River Indian Reservation, the seventh largest reservation in the country and home to the Eastern Shoshone and the Northern Arapaho tribes.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 July 2026
Definition of tribe
Noun
  • The musical sequel will center around a group of new teen girls who become the next Cheetah Girls, played by Leah Sava Jeffries, Carmen Sanchez, Kaileen Chang and Sophie Lennon.
    — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 9 July 2026
  • With both nights devolving into chaos, Brooks and the other guys decide to call it quits on this gender experiment and plan to infiltrate the girls’ night and merge groups.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 July 2026
Definition of group
Noun
  • Indeed, the folks in Akron, Amherst and Monroe, among other locales, have long awaited the winds of change, which have avoided blowing out the stale air caused by chronic losing.
    — Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • That's good news for folks who want their ebikes to make riding even easier and simpler.
    — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 5 July 2026
Definition of folks
Noun
  • It's become a go-to for households who compare it to pricier brands like Dyson.
    — Jill Layton, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026
  • This MoneyLion ranking considers mean household incomes, which can be skewed by the ultra-rich.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 4 July 2026
Definition of household

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 10 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on family

Nglish: Translation of family for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about family

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