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 When surgery became necessary, however, her family faced uncertainty over the cost. — Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2026 Many maples are full of dreys (the fancy name for a squirrel’s nest), and the squirrels barely expend any energy to feed their family. — Carl R. Gold, Baltimore Sun, 8 Nov. 2026 Prior to buying their own home, Kirychuk said the family lived in an apartment where the landlord was doubling the rent. — Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 8 Nov. 2026 Coming from the Midwest, farm and garden, and finding it locally, were important to her family. — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Nov. 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
  • Cue the Ghost Of Christmas Present (a dynamic turn from Severance Emmy winner Tramell Tillman) who really turns on the gas to show Scrooge a miserable world, including for the Cratchit clan involving death and despair.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 12 Nov. 2026
  • The king arranges the match in the hope of finally ending the hostility between the two clans.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of clan
Noun
  • From July through early January, this sleepy town catches some of the world’s most consistently powerful gusts, the kind kitesurfers cross oceans for.
    — Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Nov. 2026
  • The rare gem named Owishi by Namibia’s president is described as the largest diamond of its kind recovered at the country’s mining operation in two decades.
    — Luisa Yanez, Miami Herald, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of kind
Noun
  • Everything else is made in house, save for the deli meat on the Italian La Famiglia and the ham on The Hammich.
    — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 11 Nov. 2026
  • The judge ordered Ouellette to turn over his passport and said Ouellette could only leave his house for doctor’s appointments, attorneys meetings or to work for his father’s business, multiple media outlets reported.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of house
Noun
  • Rooms The resort’s 130 rooms and villas are split across six categories, and each has its own outdoor pool fed by the hot spring.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Nov. 2026
  • His concern is whether eliminating the category is the most effective way to address potential risks.
    — Evan Moore November 12, Charlotte Observer, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of category
Noun
  • Geary oversees the tribe's efforts to revitalize both Nisenan and Northern Sierra Miwok.
    — Conor McGill, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Increase partnerships — the directive intends to strengthen relationships with neighboring property owners, including tribes, private landowners, hunting and conservation organizations, and local communities.
    — Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of tribe
Noun
  • Supporters had hoped the freezing of the conflict since 2022 had allowed anti-Houthi forces to regroup, rearm, and emerge as a different fighting force than that which struggled to combat the group during the civil war from 2014-22.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 11 Nov. 2026
  • His family said a group of men grabbed his sister near Elm Street, prompting a verbal altercation involving Boling.
    — Doug Myers, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of group
Noun
  • Lee contributed to more development than his own, eventually selling 20 acres at East Colonial Drive and Bumby Avenue to the folks who’d develop the Colonial Plaza shopping center.
    — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Nov. 2026
  • And it can be argued, credibly, that no other group on this soil has struggled for freedom, for justice, for equality, and for true democracy as long and as doggedly as Black folks.
    — Kevin Powell, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 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 14 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on family

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about family

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