cliquey

adjective

Definition of cliqueynext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 cliquey The middle daughter of the family has always felt outside of its cliquey confines, what with Lizzy and Jane forming such a pair and Kitty and Lydia (Molly Wright and Grace Hogg-Robinson) practically sharing a brain. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 6 May 2026 The Friends set was notorious for being cliquey and insular. — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cliquey
  1. cliquish
  2. friendly
  3. clannish
  4. familiar
  5. close-knit
Adjective
  • Alexandra Pechman’s feature debut drops Lily McInerny’s Nora into the cliquish literary world of 2011, where an internship at a taste-making magazine means reading the slush pile, fetching coffee, and navigating exclusive parties.
    — John Ross, Vanity Fair, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Whitehead wanted to write, but workshops rejected him and the cliquish undergraduate literary scene put him off.
    — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 June 2026
Definition of cliquish
Adjective
  • The playground is less playground, more sprawling treehouse, complete with climbing structures, waterslides, and two toddler-friendly pools.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026
  • An archipelago famed for its friendly culture, white-sand beaches and teeming coral reefs, Fiji has struggled for years to contain a drug boom.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of friendly
Adjective
  • The Machine was lambasted, fairly, for its clannish coördination and its efforts to keep Democratic politics in a certain mainstream style.
    — Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
  • 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
Definition of clannish
Adjective
  • The Taurus Moon opposes Venus across your career and home zones, making recognition, responsibility, or visibility compete with the desire to retreat somewhere familiar.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Because customers can respond within a direct, familiar channel, brands can create interactions that feel both immediate and convenient.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of familiar
Adjective
  • Bridgeport sits just outside of downtown on the Near South Side, and homeowners are close-knit.
    — Jermont Terry, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • In a market like Louisville, where professional networks are often close-knit and reputations matter, marketing decisions can have a noticeable impact on customer perception and business relationships.
    — Jason Phillips, Ascend Agency, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of close-knit

Browse Nearby Words

cliques
cliquey
cliquish
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Cite this Entry

“Cliquey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cliquey. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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