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 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 In this case, the one on trial is the nuclear family. — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 18 May 2026 The nuclear family at the heart of the story are first met living in the rustic splendor of the German countryside, in a scruffy, characterful house far bigger than this family of three — Philip, Lucy and their six- or seven-year-old son Johnny (Malo Blanchet) — obviously needs. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 15 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
  • Exhibits here cover the history of the area from its first inhabitants, the people of the Osage and Missouri tribes, to Arrow Rock’s subsequent role in westward expansion.
    — Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Twenty-one players, two tribes — there’s still tricks up host Jeff Probst’s sleeve.
    — Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of tribe
Noun
  • Mercury in your 4th House squares Mars in your sign, making family conversations, privacy, or household matters more likely to test your patience.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Anderson said those households are now choosing items with more protein, and those that give consumers greater control over portion size.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of household
Noun
  • In much of Los Angeles and the surrounding suburbs, $1 million no longer buys a move-in-ready house, forcing buyers to rethink priorities such as location, size, condition and outdoor space.
    — Emily Hochberg, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Eider ducks and black guillemots kept us company as Marcus and Ingela talked about the history of the area including pointing out their house overlooking the sea.
    — Natasha Langan, TheWeek, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of house
Noun
  • Other members of the Chan clan are played by Vincent Cheng, Phoebe Miu, filmmaker Ng and Alannah Ong.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The government is attempting to improve shattered services and open up an economy closed by the corrupt Assad regime, which ran the economy with an iron fist and embezzled billions for the Assad clan and their allies.
    — Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of clan
Noun
  • Introduced crawling through the Trask family’s field, her black blood spattering their rich soil like a human pesticide, Cathy personifies the series’ potent blend of dread and beauty.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Gua sha uses flat blunt tools, often pink quartz, to press and scrape across the skin to relieve muscle tension and boost blood circulation, according to L’Oréal Paris.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 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 3 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on nuclear family

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nuclear family

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