as in cliquish
bound together by feelings of very close association
found the people at the brokerage house to be just as cliquey as a gaggle of high school cheerleaders
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Recent Examples of cliquey
The Friends set was notorious for being cliquey and insular.
—
Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cliquey
Adjective
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As a 5-footer, my favorite part is that the pants are available in a petite-friendly inseam, along with four other inseam options, limiting the need for alterations.—
Melony Forcier,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026
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The Harlem Wizards are a high-energy basketball team known for combining athleticism, comedy, and crowd engagement in an entertaining, family-friendly game.—
Stephanie Ogilvie,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In the Middle Ages, local churchgoers whispered of clannish Jews poisoning wells to kill Christian children and steal their blood for their rituals.—
Mike Rothschild,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
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The flood of immigrants who settled in the area were a motley crew – clannish Scandinavians, Germans, Irish Catholics escaping famine, Yankees from New England, Black refugees from the segregated South, Mexican workers seeking a better life.—
Harry Boyte,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Its path to passage has teetered all week in a familiar fight, as lawmakers weigh civil liberties concerns against intelligence officials' warnings about national security risks.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
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Its path to passage has teetered all week in a familiar fight, as lawmakers weigh civil liberties concerns against intelligence officials’ warnings about national security risks.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Local neighborhoods are so close-knit that everyone knows each other, said Allison Buell, a teacher and coach in Hammond.—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2026
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Leading this loud and lovingly close-knit multigenerational family is Suga Mama (Jo Marie Payton), the feisty grandma and matriarch.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Parents,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cliquey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cliquey. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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