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families

noun

plural of family
1
as in tribes
a group of persons who come from the same ancestor the Adams family made remarkable contributions to American life for more than two centuries

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in types
one of the units into which a whole is divided on the basis of a common characteristic the flute, the clarinet, the oboe, and other members of the woodwind family

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 families In Uganda, as in South Sudan, millions depend on subsistence agriculture to feed their families. — Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2026 September is National Suicide Prevention Month, a time to honor the lives lost to suicide, to stand with the families and communities suicide has touched, and to renew our commitment to prevention. — Courtney Marx, Sun Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2026 Soto, who has an associate degree in business and works with families who have loved ones with disabilities. — Janice Neumann, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026 The new section is aimed directly at families and the festival has already received positive feedback from interested parents. — Ed Meza, Variety, 19 Sep. 2026 Houses that once sheltered families have been reduced to concrete and rubble. — Diego Ibarra Sánchez, NPR, 19 Sep. 2026 Farm families are still suffering from the effects of the Industrial Revolution, which occurred more than a century ago. — Pat Gelsinger, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2026 Massachusetts topped the list for families of four, with a comfortable living salary of $329,555. — Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026 The whole appeal of the Red Heart is that families could keep it for years and move their memories into a future OlloBot. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for families
  1. tribes
  2. types
  3. clans
  4. kinds
  5. houses
  6. categories
  7. people
  8. groups
Noun
  • The Houthis have run into stiff resistance from local tribes, Basha told CNN.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 21 Sep. 2026
  • California is an example of a state in which prediction markets are available even though only tribes may legally offer gambling.
    — Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of tribes
Noun
  • Some expedition lines turn their nose at these types of shows, but Ponant’s theater fills for events like a Beatles tribute; near-daily lessons from the dancers also draw an audience.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Grisanti calls himself a value investor, but one who wades into areas typically avoided by other value types — the ones who blanch at the thought of risking their capital on the promise of future returns rather than present cash flows.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of types
Noun
  • Ali Mahmoud Ali, the group's Sudan analyst, said that the latest clashes risk bringing in more Nuba clans into the fight and could increase divisions across South Kordofan, where communities are facing an already dire humanitarian situation.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
  • All Palestinian clans and families in Gaza would also be a target for disarmament, which would have an impact on the future of Hamas and Palestinian armed struggle.
    — Mkhaimar Abusada, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of clans
Noun
  • In addition to artwork of all kinds, there will be three stages of live music, more than a dozen restaurant booths and children’s activities.
    — Dan Kelly, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Apple has mixed super cores with both other kinds of cores before, but this is its first chip to include all three kinds at once.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of kinds
Noun
  • Every September, around 830 boys from ages 13 to 18 take planes, trains, and automobiles to install themselves in their boarding houses at Harrow on the Hill.
    — Ashley Baker, Vanity Fair, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The 40-year-old designer is part of a whole class of millennials working for historical fashion houses who have been tasked with making young shoppers feel things.
    — Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of houses
Noun
  • Four suite categories – from penthouse to owner’s – were refurbished in 2024.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Those categories include Black, Latino, Native American, Alaska Native and Pacific Islander students, according to the UC enrollment report cited in the notice.
    — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of categories
Noun
  • Another 13 people were wounded on downtown Sacramento’s K Street and 10th Street, in what became the deadliest mass shooting in the city’s history.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 19 June 2026
  • Organizers say more than 125,000 people are expected throughout the event, bringing in millions of dollars for the local economy.
    — Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 19 June 2026
Definition of people
Noun
  • Ahead of Wednesday's hearing, an amicus brief was filed by other news groups, urging the court to immediately restore the three outlets' White House access.
    — JOCELYN NOVECK, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The two groups are already collaborating on projects with the goal of building a slate of projects that are connected with brand partners from the very start.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of groups

Browse Nearby Words

familiar spirits
families
family
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Cite this Entry

“Families.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/families. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

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