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
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Set to shoot in Canada in 2027, the film stars Lutz as Genie, a professional runner whose life is shattered by an unwanted pregnancy and later transformed by a catastrophic accident that leaves her without both legs.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
16 May 2026
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More recently, Hoeg was involved in the agency’s review of a formal petition to add bold new warnings to antidepressant drugs about unproven pregnancy risks, including fetal abnormalities that could lead to autism and other disorders.—
Matthew Perrone,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
Noun
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About 1,000 mg of iron is required during gestation and the postpartum period to support fetal growth and development and an increase in maternal blood volume.—
Ayesha Gulzar,
Verywell Health,
12 May 2026
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In 2007 researchers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute reportedly spotted a wild Graneledone boreopacifica octopus off the coast of California who went on to stay with her eggs for a record-breaking four-plus years—an even longer gestation than that of the alpine salamander.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Family way.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/family%20way. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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