nuclear family

noun

Definition of nuclear familynext
as in extended family
the part of a family that includes only the father, mother, and children

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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 nuclear family Clark came up in a traditional American nuclear family in Des Moines, Iowa with a family history defined by sports, as her grandfather was a locally famous high school football coach. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 July 2026 Consider that, according to the Center for American Progress, in 1970, 67 percent of adults (defined as 25 to 49 years old) lived in a traditional nuclear family with a spouse and one or more minor children. — Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 June 2026 Go take care of your nuclear family! — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 3 June 2026 Built up in the 1870s as a resort for nuclear families, Fire Island was destroyed by a hurricane in the 1930s, which quickly chased away its upper-class vacationers. — Air Mail, 23 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for nuclear family
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nuclear family
  1. extended family
  2. blended family
  3. people
  4. tribe
  5. household
  6. house
  7. clan
  8. blood
Noun
  • The family now lives in Boise, Idaho, but has visited England multiple times and still has extended family throughout the country, particularly around York and Manchester.
    — Taylor Eldridge, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The State Department also sanctioned the wife of Alejandro Castro Espin, a member of the Castro extended family.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 23 June 2026
Definition of extended family
Noun
  • Dietrich, 36, is now a stay-at-home mother to her blended family of four teenagers and a 17-month-old.
    — Megan Leonhardt, Fortune, 3 Jan. 2023
  • Kourtney Kardashian Barker spent the Christmas holiday with her blended family.
    — Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 29 Dec. 2022
Definition of blended family
Noun
  • Another 13 people were wounded on downtown Sacramento’s K Street and 10th Street, in what became the deadliest mass shooting in the city’s history.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 19 June 2026
  • Organizers say more than 125,000 people are expected throughout the event, bringing in millions of dollars for the local economy.
    — Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 19 June 2026
Definition of people
Noun
  • Geary oversees the tribe's efforts to revitalize both Nisenan and Northern Sierra Miwok.
    — Conor McGill, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Increase partnerships — the directive intends to strengthen relationships with neighboring property owners, including tribes, private landowners, hunting and conservation organizations, and local communities.
    — Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of tribe
Noun
  • Changing a risk-averse culture through ‘positive shaming’ Kempczinski, who grew up in a Catholic household in Cincinnati and would visit McDonald’s after Friday night football games, admits to some Midwestern conservatism.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Here is the household manager’s checklist for keeping everyone healthy from November through April.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of household
Noun
  • Everything else is made in house, save for the deli meat on the Italian La Famiglia and the ham on The Hammich.
    — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 11 Nov. 2026
  • The judge ordered Ouellette to turn over his passport and said Ouellette could only leave his house for doctor’s appointments, attorneys meetings or to work for his father’s business, multiple media outlets reported.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of house
Noun
  • As the two clans battle it out on the field, regardless of who takes home the trophy Lexi may have already won at love.
    — Rachel LaBonte, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Looking forward to 2030, all eyes will turn to Bolsonaro clan ally Tarcísio de Freitas, who did not enter the presidential race and instead supported Flávio Bolsonaro.
    — David Unsworth , Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of clan
Noun
  • The treatment also returned the aging immune system to a more youthful state, including changes to the marrow’s blood-producing tissues.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Breast arterial calcification is calcium buildup in the walls of medium-sized arteries that carry blood through the breast.
    — Matthew Nudy, The Conversation, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of blood

Browse Nearby Words

nuclear families
nuclear family
nuclei
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Cite this Entry

“Nuclear family.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nuclear%20family. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on nuclear family

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nuclear family

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