as in pregnancy
the state of containing unborn young within the body
noticing the telltale bump, we guessed that she was in the family way again
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Recent Examples of family way
That was the family way, as Schadt’s great-grandfather, Jacob Heitzman, started the place in 1891.
—
Amanda Hancock, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Jan. 2026
The devastation of the accident affected my family way beyond 1979.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2022
One thing that the proud mom believes helped propel her son to success was the Cochran family way, coined by her father in a book.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE.com, 9 Feb. 2022
The devastation of the accident affected my family way beyond 1979.
—Jonathon Berlin, sun-sentinel.com, 21 May 2021
Amanda Hancock, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Jan. 2026
The devastation of the accident affected my family way beyond 1979.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2022
One thing that the proud mom believes helped propel her son to success was the Cochran family way, coined by her father in a book.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE.com, 9 Feb. 2022
The devastation of the accident affected my family way beyond 1979.
—Jonathon Berlin, sun-sentinel.com, 21 May 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for family way
Noun
-
Their youngest daughter’s role on the ABC police procedural goes back to before she was born, with her pregnancy — and experience having a home birth — being written into her storyline in season 5.—
Liza Esquibias,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
-
And as the camera quickly revealed her pregnancy, a legend was complete.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The calf’s arrival follows a 21-month pregnancy, which is the longest gestation period of any land animal, according to the Smithsonian.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
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But the band also learned that the long gestation led to some of their best ideas.—
Sam Sodomsky,
Pitchfork,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Family way.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/family%20way. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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