cliquish

adjective

Definition of cliquishnext
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

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 cliquish Whitehead wanted to write, but workshops rejected him and the cliquish undergraduate literary scene put him off. — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cliquish
  1. clannish
  2. friendly
  3. cliquey
  4. familiar
  5. close-knit
  6. close
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
  • Keeley is all optimism in the buildup to the team’s first game — merely a friendly against Hayes and Yeading, but important nonetheless — but subsequent events threaten to squelch those good feelings.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Blumenfield said the site takes pressure off neighborhoods and keeps construction out of high-risk fire zones, targeting a walkable, pedestrian-friendly area.
    — Hunter Sowards, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of friendly
Adjective
  • 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
Definition of cliquey
Adjective
  • Habity Design The Habity bedside clock looks like a familiar retro alarm clock, but inside sits a low-power e-paper screen, a speaker, and a small collection of calming sounds.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The statutory argument will be familiar to anyone following the Kalshi litigation.
    — The Insider, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of familiar
Adjective
  • 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
  • In fact, the Inter Miami FC star's entire family is close-knit and involved in his athletic career.
    — Adam England, PEOPLE, 22 June 2026
Definition of close-knit
Adjective
  • The technology, used in all Metro Nashville Public Schools, didn’t spot the weapon because the shooter wasn’t close enough to cameras for the system to get an accurate read and activate the alarm, the district said.
    — Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • June 21 – July 22 A plan with someone close may need to fit what serves you close to home.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of close

Browse Nearby Words

cliquey
cliquish
cliquishness
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Cite this Entry

“Cliquish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cliquish. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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