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

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 His vibrant personality has brought energy and juice to the locker room and allowed for an immediate kinship with Jackson and the team’s offensive stars. — Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Noisemaker feels a genuine kinship with the Gallico story, including its setting, a desolate stretch of coastline in eastern England. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026 There was no mosque in Mancelona, and Mymonie and Sam found kinship in the Masonic temple. — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026 On July 20, 2000, a ceremony in Honolulu formally established a Goodwill Beach City Relationship between Shirarahama and Waikiki, recognizing a kinship that the ocean itself had long suggested. — Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for kinship
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kinship
  1. relationship
  2. connection
  3. association
  4. affinity
  5. correlation
Noun
  • One thing that has changed since the beginning of the charter is the relationship between cabinmates Kat and Gen, who used to be close until Gen got a little too comfortable.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The discussions point to more incremental progress in avoiding an escalation of tensions in a delicate trade relationship that has major consequences for the global economy.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of relationship
Noun
  • The programs are also part of a broader strategy for VIFF’s Institute for the Moving Image, which aims to eventually extend the festival’s support for filmmakers seeking funding and industry connections to year-round.
    — Katherine Brodsky, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Tariffs imposed on Canadian imports now extend to hockey equipment, potentially increasing the cost of playing the very sport that perhaps best symbolizes the cultural connection between the two countries.
    — Rick Burton, Sportico.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of connection
Noun
  • Professional players associations do far more than bargain against leagues.
    — Chris Corr, Sportico.com, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Homeowners associations are known for rules about paint colors, fences and keeping the lawn trimmed.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of association
Noun
  • College football has gone national, abandoning regional affinities and local rivalries.
    — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Xi has overtly revealed his affinity for legalism, as Mao did decades earlier.
    — Orville Schell, Foreign Affairs, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of affinity
Noun
  • This might be fine for a night or two to diagnose a sleep disorder, but gathering enough data on enough people to sift out long-term statistical correlations just isn’t feasible.
    — Mike McRae September 17, New Atlas, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Once the 10-year yield moves above 5%, the relationship between stocks and bonds changes, Sharma said, pointing to historical data showing that the equity-bond correlation becomes positive.
    — Paulina Likos, CNBC, 17 Sep. 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 23 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on kinship

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!

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

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
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
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All