1
a
: a Celtic group especially in the Scottish Highlands comprising a number of households whose heads claim descent from a common ancestor
the MacDonald clan
b
: a group of people tracing descent from a common ancestor : family
The whole clan gets together for the holidays.
2
: a group united by a common interest or common characteristics
the country club clan
Examples of clan in a Sentence
The tribe is divided into clans.
The whole clan gets together for the holidays.
Recent Examples on the Web
And as the Kanneh-Mason clan grew, the younger siblings — as younger siblings do — imitated the bigger kids, a glorious chain reaction.
—
Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
The clan’s culture and city originated from a 2012 expedition to Papua New Guinea, during which Cameron saw a city buried by volcanic ash, much like Pompeii.
—Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 21 Dec. 2025
In Parker's nerve-racking scene, her character gives gifts to each member of the Stone clan in an effort to mend fences with them, and Keaton's signature wit is on full display.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Dec. 2025
When Payakan goes to trial, he’s forced to meet with the patriarch and matriarch of his clan — both of whom are wearing capes and other accessories to denote the formal nature of their council.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clan
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Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
The clan’s culture and city originated from a 2012 expedition to Papua New Guinea, during which Cameron saw a city buried by volcanic ash, much like Pompeii.
—Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 21 Dec. 2025
In Parker's nerve-racking scene, her character gives gifts to each member of the Stone clan in an effort to mend fences with them, and Keaton's signature wit is on full display.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Dec. 2025
When Payakan goes to trial, he’s forced to meet with the patriarch and matriarch of his clan — both of whom are wearing capes and other accessories to denote the formal nature of their council.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clan
Cite this Entry
“Clan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clan. Accessed 23 Dec. 2025.
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