clique

noun

: a narrow exclusive circle or group of persons
especially : one held together by common interests, views, or purposes
high school cliques
cliquey adjective
cliquish adjective
cliquishly adverb
cliquishness noun

Examples of clique in a Sentence

that clique refuses to even talk to outsiders at their lunch table
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
There were no small dinners for the team’s different cliques, only large team dinners every night. Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 2 May 2025 Gossip that singles out specific employees or fosters cliques can undermine psychological safety and erode team cohesion. Toyna Chin, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025 The defendants were members of an MS-13 clique known as the Hollywood Locos Salvatrucha Clique (HLS clique), which operated in North Carolina, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and elsewhere, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of North Carolina. Ryan Oehrli, Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2025 On Saturday, the former cast mates took the stage at C2E2 to reminisce about their experiences making the classic coming-of-age movie, in which five students from different high school cliques bond while serving Saturday detention together. Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 13 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for clique

Word History

Etymology

French

First Known Use

1711, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clique was in 1711

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clique.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clique. Accessed 6 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

clique

noun
: a small group of people who spend time together and are not friendly to other people
cliquey
ˈklē-kē How to pronounce clique (audio)
ˈkli-
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on clique

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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