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 Saturday’s camp concluded with families getting autographs from and taking pictures with Agbaji. — Alexa Stone, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026 The courage Sullenberger wants to summon now is personal and intimate and unfolds in millions of families every day. — Scott Simon, NPR, 18 July 2026 War soon threatens to spill out once again, as the fallen suitors’ families come together seeking vengeance. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 18 July 2026 For the price of an Uber Eats order, pet lovers can bring home a new addition to their families while taking some of the pressure off a busy animal intake center. — Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 18 July 2026 The friendship between Affleck and Damon extends to their respective kids, with both families vacationing together and sharing social events. — Valentina Dirindin, Vanity Fair, 18 July 2026 In some communities, generations of families have had fewer opportunities to learn to swim because of barriers to accessing pools and other aquatic facilities. — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 18 July 2026 Luck dictated that Yamal’s mother, who appears in the calendar photo, won a raffle of families in the city of Mataró, near Barcelona, who wanted to participate. — Joseph Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2026 Related Stories Khosla’s group beat out a handful of other bidders, including a group led by billionaire Aditya Mittal, a member of one of India’s richest families, said the people, who were granted anonymity because the details are private. — Scott Soshnick, Variety, 12 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for families
  1. tribes
  2. types
  3. clans
  4. kinds
  5. houses
  6. categories
  7. folks
  8. groups
Noun
  • The artifacts from Papua are part of the cultural heritage of the Dani and Asmat tribes and Lake Sentani communities.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
  • This showcase celebrates the rich artistic traditions, cultural heritage and living history of tribes across the state, according to the fair website.
    — Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado July 22, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of tribes
Noun
  • The resident, who asked not to be identified, said that crime and other types of violence in the area have become increasingly common since the COVID-19 pandemic.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 July 2026
  • First off, there are two main types of yaks in Tibet – and the cloning project has different goals for them.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
Definition of types
Noun
  • The Richards family is one of America’s richest clans, thanks to its electrical manufacturing company Southwire.
    — Simone Melvin, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • Warrior Cats is based on Erin Hunter’s feline book series that follows the adventures and drama of multiple clans of feral cats.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 18 June 2026
Definition of clans
Noun
  • In a world where live events of all kinds are at the center of the media business, expect a whole lot more live music at World Cup venues next time around.
    — Howard Homonoff, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • The Los Angeles River has become a popular stage for performances of all kinds in recent years.
    — Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of kinds
Noun
  • Some in anthropology take this further, describing houses and homes as social and symbolic spaces rather than merely physical structures.
    — Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Though California is home to some of the worst cities for first-time homebuyers, there are still houses for as low as $285,000.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of houses
Noun
  • Borrowing against luxury goods offers tax advantages (no capital gains trigger) and preserves ownership amid rising values in categories like rare watches and limited-edition handbags.
    — Tanya Akim, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • The Hurricanes’ career marks in both of those categories are 3,519 yards (by Duke Johnson from 2012 to 2014) and 35 rushing touchdowns (by Stephen McGuire from 1989 to 1992).
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
Definition of categories
Noun
  • For the past decade or so—somewhere along the way—folks decided that food needed to be serious to be good.
    — Josh Miller, Southern Living, 18 July 2026
  • These are but a few; Trump seemingly no longer has a use for these folks.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2026
Definition of folks
Noun
  • The European Union has banned AI that encourages dangerous behavior in vulnerable groups like children, and mandated transparency requirements for other chatbots.
    — Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 23 July 2026
  • As noted by Beard, this board was built with a deliberateness and purpose to ensure that the women had the runway to impact decision-making, advise the athletes, and construct the next basketball league alongside the co-founder groups.
    — Allison Smith, Forbes.com, 22 July 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 25 Jul. 2026.

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