as in cliquish
bound together by feelings of very close association
a clannish family that can be rather cool to outsiders
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Recent Examples of clannish
In Afghanistan, legitimate authority has traditionally been highly localized, a product of consensus rather than brute force, and firmly anchored in tribal, clannish, and kinship structures.
—
Jonah Blank, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2011
The most successful of those managers have carved out a niche catering to the valley’s famously clannish billionaire elites.
—James McClain, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2023
There are a broad spectrum of other possible explanations for the disparate outcomes Boegeman cites, including religious differences, geographic differences, even — gasp — the clannish propensity of ethnic groups to band together and create — or retain — their unique cultural traditions.
—Star Tribune, 19 July 2021
The Trumps are nothing if not clannish.
—Hari Kunzru, The New York Review of Books, 2 July 2020
See All Example Sentences for clannish
Jonah Blank, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2011
The most successful of those managers have carved out a niche catering to the valley’s famously clannish billionaire elites.
—James McClain, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2023
There are a broad spectrum of other possible explanations for the disparate outcomes Boegeman cites, including religious differences, geographic differences, even — gasp — the clannish propensity of ethnic groups to band together and create — or retain — their unique cultural traditions.
—Star Tribune, 19 July 2021
The Trumps are nothing if not clannish.
—Hari Kunzru, The New York Review of Books, 2 July 2020
See All Example Sentences for clannish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clannish
Adjective
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The show serves as a friendly frame for the songs without threatening to get in the way of them.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
15 Aug. 2025
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Time-traveling romances, space-traveling alien monsters, and celebrities in seriously great shape who want to pass along their wisdom to us normal folk — all this and more await us in this weekend’s friendly neighborhood streaming guide.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Their older cousin, Caroline Kennedy, said the family is close-knit.—
Jade Jackson,
IndyStar,
14 July 2025
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Being so close-knit enabled Liverpool to scale such heights on the field last season.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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As the new general manager of the Farmington Civic Theater, Clare Cooney plans to add some indie films to the historic Farmington landmark’s familiar mix of tentpole movies and family favorites, writes Julie Hinds.—
Leah Olajide,
Freep.com,
9 Aug. 2025
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For many people, a society where women average 1.8 or 1.9 children would feel familiar.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clannish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clannish. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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