extended family
noun
: a family that includes in one household near relatives (such as grandparents, aunts, or uncles) in addition to a nuclear family
Given space, there are ways in which even larger populations than the extended family can be accommodated under one roof.—
Paul Oliver
Paul Oliver
also
: an extensive group of people who are related by blood or marriage or who otherwise regard themselves as a large family
Four out of every five people who go through a first divorce remarry … . Thus it is that husbands and wives, their former partners, children and stepchildren, and a whole constellation of grandparents and other relatives are brought together in the new American extended family. —Michael Norman
Michael Norman During his five years at Owen High, he turned his teams into an extended family and tried to instill in his players the same sense of self-worth that Baldwin had imparted to him years before. —William Nack
William Nack Examples of extended family in a Sentence
their extended family includes a grandmother and widowed aunt
Recent Examples on the Web
The story follows an extended family who meet to scatter the ashes of their mother only to find that her continued haunting presence explosively, and often comically, unravels the secrets of their lives.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 28 Apr. 2025
To plan his wedding, your niece’s son is negotiating with the needs of his immediate family, the extended family and his fiancée’s family.
—R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 20 Apr. 2025
At the same time, Harry wants Archie and Lilibet to connect with their U.K. roots, experience their heritage and build relationships with extended family.
—Simon Perry, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025
For extended families committed to togetherness, area real estate companies (such as Emerald Isle Realty and Bluewater Vacation Rentals and Real Estate) plus websites like Airbnb and Vrbo offer hundreds of spacious beachfront houses—some with as many as 10 or 12 bedrooms and a pool.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2025
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Alex Ritman, Variety, 28 Apr. 2025
To plan his wedding, your niece’s son is negotiating with the needs of his immediate family, the extended family and his fiancée’s family.
—R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 20 Apr. 2025
At the same time, Harry wants Archie and Lilibet to connect with their U.K. roots, experience their heritage and build relationships with extended family.
—Simon Perry, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025
For extended families committed to togetherness, area real estate companies (such as Emerald Isle Realty and Bluewater Vacation Rentals and Real Estate) plus websites like Airbnb and Vrbo offer hundreds of spacious beachfront houses—some with as many as 10 or 12 bedrooms and a pool.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for extended family
Cite this Entry
“Extended family.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extended%20family. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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