1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

kin 1 of 2

noun

ˈkin How to pronounce kin (audio)
Definition of kinnext
1
as in family
a group of persons who come from the same ancestor invited all of his kith and kin to his graduation party

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cousin
a person connected with another by blood or marriage since she did not appear to be kin to either side, we've no idea what she was doing at the wedding

Synonyms & Similar Words

kin

2 of 2

adjective

as in kindred

Related 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 kin
Noun
In a news release Thursday, the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office detailed its efforts to identify and find kin for a man found floating in a portion of the lengthy creek that goes through Metcalf Park on June 14, 1997. — Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026 Police did not release the names, ages or genders of the victims, saying next-of-kin notifications were underway. — Reuters, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
Adjective
The Secret Service was not playing to get in that motherf–kin’ stadium. — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 11 Feb. 2025 Chickens also retain a smidge of the predatory instinct that made their kin such formidable hunters. — Scott Travers, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for kin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kin
  1. family
  2. cousin
  3. kindred
  4. tribe
  5. relative
  6. folk
  7. clan
  8. national
Noun
  • The man's family has struggled to get any information from the hospital about his status or location, Lincoln-Goldfinch said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026
  • While speaking to reporters, Janssen recalled learning what had happened to Serkov while having dinner with her family.
    — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of family
Noun
  • He was appointed chief executive officer in 2026 at the age of 42, taking the reins from his cousin Giovanni Anzani.
    — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Seeing a film at the Odeon cinema followed by stopping at Luini for a panzerotto, a cousin of the calzone, was long a favorite Milanese ritual.
    — Emma Bocchi, Vogue, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of cousin
Adjective
  • And her emotional one-on-ones with Streep are among the films' very best, as Miranda fleetingly lets her guard down and Andy discovers a kindred spirit.
    — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Viewers unfamiliar with the culture of the Northeastern state, which has a population just slightly over one million, can find a kindred spirit in The Bachelor franchise alum Iaconetti.
    — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 25 July 2026
Definition of kindred
Noun
  • This tension unfolds with riveting restraint in a story set in 1960s Nagaland — the eastern Indian state on the Burmese border — following the principled chief of a waning tribe, and the arrival of an American missionary.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026
  • In 2020, the tribe reacquired land at Verona across the Feather River from Dos Rios Norte, which the federal government took into trust last year.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of tribe
Noun
  • Authorities have launched a multidisciplinary task force, urged families to report missing relatives immediately, and warned against sharing graphic images or rumors online that could inflame panic or inspire copycat attacks.
    — Mogomotsi Magome, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
  • No relatives or friends of the three murder victims in his case witnessed Norman's punishment.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of relative
Adjective
  • As has been its wont for many years now, over its three days the festival offers a lineup that mixes folk and roots (however understood) and non-folk artists.
    — Stuart Munro, BostonGlobe.com, 19 July 2022
  • The songwriter in question is Phoebe Kreutz, darling of the New York City anti-folk movement of the early ‘00s.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 8 July 2022
Definition of folk
Noun
  • It’s believed that the original fortress went up in the 14th century, about 200 years before the Kato clan took control of Ozu.
    — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Just months after the Tate murders, Joel Pugh — the 29-year-old boyfriend of Manson clan member Sandra Good — was found dead in the Talgarth Hotel in London.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of clan
Adjective
  • Zardari said eliminating militants was essential to national security.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The 1969 Bison bunch went 10-0 and was named small-college national champion, and the ‘70 group went 9-0-1.
    — Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of national

Browse Nearby Words

kimonos
kin
kind
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kin. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tactile

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 25
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of the words cracker fly and sale arranged in a triangle with the word fire in the middle
Triple Play Quiz Find the word that pairs with each of the three g...
See All