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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Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar said his new government has summoned the Russian ambassador over a drone attack near Hungary’s border, in a significant shift from his predecessor Viktor Orbán’s friendly relations with Moscow.—
Hanna Arhirova,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
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There’s a friendly reception area with a giant chalkboard informing guests of local events, ranging from in-house parties to full moon nights at the Acropolis and big name gigs by the touring artists.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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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
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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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As criticism over competitive disparities intensified following the meet, pro-trans activists pushed back with the familiar argument that inclusion matters more than results, while opponents argued female athletes lose opportunities in the process.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
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As the adrenaline levels rose on Monday and Tuesday, and the familiar choreography of another British political crisis began to play out—ministerial resignations, spiky statements on X—the collateral damage that Starmer had warned against started to encroach, once again, upon the scene.—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Her family was, and is, close-knit.—
Andre Mouchard,
Daily News,
9 May 2026
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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
Adjective
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Sources close to Canvot, speaking anonymously to protect relationships, have told The Athletic that the message from Glasner after that error was simple.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
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López was one of the fiercest critics of then-Mayor Fúnez, a supporter of the mine and close ally of Honduras’ former president, Xiomara Castro.—
Marlon González,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Cliquish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cliquish. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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