CLIQUES Synonyms: 54 Similar and Opposite Words

cliques

noun

plural of clique

as in networks

a group of people sharing a common interest and relating together socially that clique refuses to even talk to outsiders at their lunch table

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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.

Recent Examples of cliques So the players will get a day off to cool down but have to spend the night at the pub quiz in teams of Ted’s choosing, never mind the cliques. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026 Amid the crushes, cliques, and teenage angst, two sisters set out to define themselves on their own terms. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026 In a number of sensitive sectors, such as telecommunications, EVs, and drones, such cliques have already formed, setting bans and restrictions on the use of equipment from Chinese telecommunications companies Huawei and ZTE. — Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2026 That era involved small cliques of devs talking a big game about decentralization (which often provided a pretext for no accountability) while shilling tokens at all turns. — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 20 July 2026 Since its inception, social media has been a proving ground for tween fashion and identity, offering under-16s a digital canvas to experiment with their style and form online cliques around niche interests. — Sophie Lou Wilson, Vogue, 2 July 2026 Ramsey numbers for same-size red and blue cliques are called diagonal Ramsey numbers. — Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 26 June 2026 Under Meza, player cliques developed, stars were pampered, discipline waned. — Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 10 June 2026 Prosecutors said the killings were tied to Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, a transnational gang that maintains a presence in Los Angeles through smaller groups, or cliques, including in the San Fernando Valley and around MacArthur Park. — Sydney Barragan, Daily News, 6 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cliques

Noun

Faisal Munir, president of mission-critical communications at L3Harris, said the partnership combines complementary technologies with resilient networks.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
The contest of networks will be nearly global, waged in multiple domains, with huge stakes riding on the outcome.

— Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of networks

Noun

Examples of interpersonal violence are rare among Stone Age remains, only becoming common later as hunting and gathering gave way to settled farming communities.

— Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026
Sacramento tourism officials are looking beyond major events to attract more visitors, highlighting the capital city's cultural attractions, diverse communities, local restaurants and history.

— James Taylor, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of communities

Noun

Jessica Martinez was welcomed home by cheering crowds as the USS Abraham Lincoln docked in San Diego earlier this month after a long wartime deployment to the Middle East.

— Norma Galeana, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
As China undergoes a prolonged market reset, luxury players are closing unproductive stores, exploring untapped regional markets and unlocking differentiated crowds with pop-up formats.

— Denni Hu, Footwear News, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of crowds

Noun

Artisanal weapons and revolvers have been increasingly relegated to rural areas, smaller criminal groups and individuals, while over the past two years gangs have been procuring larger numbers of more lethal weaponry.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
Payments to these gangs in drugs developed local markets that further increased the violence, and the authorities felt overwhelmed.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of gangs

Noun

Some packs retain enough energy storage potential to serve stationary applications, where weight and packaging constraints matter less.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026
More Less Doesn't expire The bundle and save discount also applies to Bombas' custom packs, except that the markdown is 10%.

— Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of packs

Noun

Ali Mahmoud Ali, the group's Sudan analyst, said that the latest clashes risk bringing in more Nuba clans into the fight and could increase divisions across South Kordofan, where communities are facing an already dire humanitarian situation.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
All Palestinian clans and families in Gaza would also be a target for disarmament, which would have an impact on the future of Hamas and Palestinian armed struggle.

— Mkhaimar Abusada, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of clans

Noun

As in the original, hatchets must be buried and covens assembled to answer these questions.

— Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2026
Season 2 sees Louis and Claudia in Europe — just in time for World War II — and both novel and show expand outward to include things like vampire covens and AMC tie-in series to the further reaches of Rice’s lore.

— Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 6 June 2026

Definition of covens

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“Cliques.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cliques. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of cliques

noun

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