kinship

noun

ˈkin-ˌship How to pronounce kinship (audio)
Definition of kinshipnext
as in relationship
the fact or state of having something in common she and I have a special kinship since we both grew up in England

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 kinship Carlisle and Childers also found a kinship in their studies of Eastern Religion, an exploration that is deeply threaded through the journey of Snipe Hunter. — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 15 July 2026 Genuine kinship, even for a few hours, can feel harder than ever to find. — Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 30 June 2026 Raise the Future offers Family Support Services for foster, kinship and adoptive families. — Libby Smith, CBS News, 29 June 2026 Rather than pursue their professional dreams, Haugh and Condon returned for one final season to chase another NCAA title while setting the tone with their leadership, kinship and versatility. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for kinship
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kinship
  1. relationship
  2. connection
  3. association
  4. affinity
  5. correlation
Noun
  • But last year, their relationship blew up amid a turf war over CPS employees.
    — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • As time passes and questions remain unanswered, the film shows how grief connects, relationships change, and new perspectives emerge.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of relationship
Noun
  • Authorities have released few details about Kim’s flight from the US and capture in Laos, or his connection to the victim’s family and the other suspects.
    — Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Natural gas demand has increased among sectors where pipeline connections remain limited or temporary supply is needed.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of connection
Noun
  • The head of the tenants association at the Frederick Douglass Houses on the Upper West Side took photos and videos of individuals sitting on blankets in a stairwell and laying on cardboard in a hallway.
    — Tim McNicholas, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • As a result, German autoworker layoffs are now higher than during the global financial crisis of 2008–9 or the COVID pandemic, forcing German and European business associations to call for unprecedentedly stringent local content requirements.
    — Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of association
Noun
  • The political dilemma posed by restructuring goes beyond Xi’s affinity for industry.
    — Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2026
  • However, in the future Zinn would feel an affinity for a different kind of bombardier.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of affinity
Noun
  • With telemetry data coming from different sources and in different formats, cross-system correlation becomes impossible.
    — Klaudia Zaika, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Follows’ research also shows that an experienced producer can make all the difference for a first-time director, even though that correlation disappears after the first film.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of correlation

Browse Nearby Words

kinsfolk
kinship
kinsman
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kinship.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kinship. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on kinship

Nglish: Translation of kinship for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about kinship

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 vacuous

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

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

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
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 a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All