family

noun

ˈfam-lē How to pronounce family (audio)
Definition of familynext
1
as in clan
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 kind
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 family Anixter, Wrigleyville’s beloved ‘Pink Hat Guy,’ died Tuesday night from complications with surgery, according to his family. — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026 The family fought for three hours last July Fourth to stay alive after more than a summer’s worth of rain fell overnight on bone-dry soil, pushing the waterway from about 3 feet to 30 feet in just 45 minutes. — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026 Steve Toussaint’s Lord Corlys knows this all too well, having sacrificed not only his family and legacy, but now his ships and ancestral home in service of Rhaenyra’s claim to the Iron Throne. — Zoe Papelis, Vulture, 6 July 2026 History shows family successions, whether in North Korea or Syria, tend to happen through rigid authoritarian control, with the transfer of power underwritten by whoever controls the military. — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for family
Recent Examples of Synonyms for family
  1. clan
  2. kind
  3. house
  4. category
  5. tribe
  6. group
  7. folks
  8. household
Noun
  • Zeenat’s mother was a respected woman in her clan; both of Zeenat’s sisters had married into a Syed family, and her brother worked for the village head and had authority enough to report directly to the local landlord.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026
  • Rhaena is cast out, but the rest of the Velaryon clan are closer than ever.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 June 2026
Definition of clan
Noun
  • Fans will appreciate the one-of-a-kind decor and furnishings, including original seats from the ballpark, an authentic scoreboard and a coffee table signed by Red Sox players.
    — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 2 July 2026
  • Lands’ statement gave no indication of how park officials concluded the liner was cut using a knife of some kind.
    — Drew Pittock, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Definition of kind
Noun
  • Now that Love's eight children are all grown up and out of the house, the family has opted to sell the home and look for something smaller near Lake Tahoe, according to the listing agency.
    — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026
  • Plaintiffs have used internal documents from the companies to allege that, in house, people have long recognized a correlation between NEC and the use of preterm formulas made from cow’s milk.
    — David Hilzenrath, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Definition of house
Noun
  • Trump valued more than two dozen assets at over $50 million, which is the highest disclosure category on the form.
    — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 1 July 2026
  • The report also highlighted improvements in clearance rates and an overall decrease in major crime categories, including robberies.
    — CBS Baltimore Staff, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of category
Noun
  • The British Army also provided protection from attacks by Native American tribes, giving many settlers little reason to support a rebellion.
    — Hank Tester, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • Representatives from two local tribes draw a parallel between the gather and past efforts to expel their people from their ancestral lands, and say the horses are intertwined with their culture.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
Definition of tribe
Noun
  • Prosecutors accused the group of transporting unaccompanied children between the ages of 5 and 13 from Juárez, Mexico, into the United States.
    — Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
  • Large friendship groups can be a really cool experience, but can also pose challenges in terms of the depths of intimacy that can be cultivated with each person.
    — Joy Harden Bradford, AJC.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of group
Noun
  • Indeed, the folks in Akron, Amherst and Monroe, among other locales, have long awaited the winds of change, which have avoided blowing out the stale air caused by chronic losing.
    — Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • That's good news for folks who want their ebikes to make riding even easier and simpler.
    — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 5 July 2026
Definition of folks
Noun
  • It's become a go-to for households who compare it to pricier brands like Dyson.
    — Jill Layton, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026
  • This MoneyLion ranking considers mean household incomes, which can be skewed by the ultra-rich.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 4 July 2026
Definition of household

Phrases Containing family

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families
family
family doctor
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Cite this Entry

“Family.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/family. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on family

Nglish: Translation of family for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about family

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