as in clannish
bound together by feelings of very close association
the cliquish White House press corps soon let him know that he was not on the A-list
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cliquish
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 -
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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In the absence of the federal government incentivizing companies to make more environmentally friendly choices, state and/or local policies may also offer a way forward.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
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The two coastal towns are about eight miles apart; however, Lewes’s public beach is considered more family-friendly because of its calm bay waters.—
Dobrina Zhekova,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The Friends set was notorious for being cliquey and insular.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
Vulture,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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By the end of that show, the anxiety and isolation that freight life in the closet had burned away, leaving a happy, hopeful ending in place of familiar narrative disaster; love is found, secrecy is banished, and all is well.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
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Yet, lurking on social media, the appointment unleashed the all-too-familiar torrent of hate, sexism and misogyny.—
Sebastian Shukla,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Sosa previously revealed that the former DWTS partners — who remained close-knit on social media in the months following Delvey's exit from the show — were on the rocks last fall.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
19 Apr. 2026
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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
Adjective
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After entering the game tied at 3 in the ninth, Mets closer Devin Williams allowed two runs in a disastrous final frame to fall to the Twins 5-3 and record their 12th loss in a row, their longest streak since 2002.—
James O'Connell,
New York Daily News,
22 Apr. 2026
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Two Southwest Airlines jets got dangerously close near Nashville on Saturday, triggering collision alarms.—
Aaron Cooper,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Cliquish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cliquish. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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