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
The family way of basketball spread to Turgeon’s son Will, who grew up in Wichita and on the courts his father coached on.
—
Pj Green
march 10, Kansas City Star, 10 Mar. 2026
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
Pj Green
march 10, Kansas City Star, 10 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for family way
Noun
-
The Chronicle’s reporters also reviewed medical records about a pregnancy and STD texts a week after the alleged assault.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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Plaza's pregnancy and relationship with Abbott comes more than a year after the death of her filmmaker husband Jeff Baena, who died by suicide in January 2025.—
Derek Lawrence,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That extraordinary gestation period — among the longest of any land animal — produced a calf who entered the world at approximately 308 pounds and has been growing rapidly ever since.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2026
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Less than a year after welcoming their son, Shacreya and Nicholas found themselves back in the NICU for another 174 days with their daughter, Faith, now 2, who was born at five months of gestation, weighing only 14 oz.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Family way.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/family%20way. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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