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
Ambassadorships are often awarded to loyalists and supporters, but this appointment looks particularly clannish.
—
Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 22 Jan. 2025
The model relies on a dramatic shift in relations among officers and prisoners, two historically warring factions in a system built on clannish gamesmanship for survival.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 29 July 2024
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
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
See All Example Sentences for clannish
Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 22 Jan. 2025
The model relies on a dramatic shift in relations among officers and prisoners, two historically warring factions in a system built on clannish gamesmanship for survival.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 29 July 2024
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
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
See All Example Sentences for clannish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clannish
Adjective
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In other words, the sun may not have arrived in a life-friendly environment purely by chance, but rather as a consequence of the formation of the galactic bar.—
Charles Q. Choi,
Space.com,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The seizure has angered Ukrainian authorities, who accused Hungary's Russia-friendly government of acting illegally.—
JUSTIN SPIKE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Bediako case is a nice counterexample to the favoritism argument; the first judge stepped aside when his relationship with the university, or at least the coverage and commentary surrounding it, was too close-knit to be ignored, and the second judge ruled against his alma mater.—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
14 Feb. 2026
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The Bruins begin the season with a versatile and close-knit roster, Grant said.—
Anthony Solorzano,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The Friends set was notorious for being cliquey and insular.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
Vulture,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Kaplan has represented District 1 since 2022, but is a familiar name in local politics.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
13 Mar. 2026
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Nearly every cinematic space voyage, however far flung, brushes up against familiar terrain.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clannish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clannish. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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