as in extended family
the part of a family that includes only the father, mother, and children
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Recent Examples of nuclear family
The national project of maintaining the white nuclear family, which has really been taken up in the 1940s as a way for certain political groups to organize, is able to find a lot of historical references in Minnesota that fit that narrative.
—
Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
Jack and Anna are a nuclear family of four before His & Hers finally reveals the true truth.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 14 Jan. 2026
Based on Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth, the surrealist musical follows one nuclear family across thousands of years and three apocalypses.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025
The pronatalist perspective generally supports government intervention to encourage procreation and is rooted in a belief that modern culture has failed to celebrate the nuclear family.
—Stephanie Armour, CNN Money, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nuclear family
Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
Jack and Anna are a nuclear family of four before His & Hers finally reveals the true truth.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 14 Jan. 2026
Based on Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth, the surrealist musical follows one nuclear family across thousands of years and three apocalypses.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025
The pronatalist perspective generally supports government intervention to encourage procreation and is rooted in a belief that modern culture has failed to celebrate the nuclear family.
—Stephanie Armour, CNN Money, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nuclear family
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nuclear family
Noun
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The guest list included his wife Bonnie Bartlett, 96, sons Michael (62) and Robert (60), their wives, four grandchildren and extended family.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
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The new series brings back the grown-up and extended family together for Hal and Lois's 40th wedding anniversary, and is written by the original show's creator Linwood Boomer.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In November 2021, Johnson brought his blended family together for the premiere of his film Red Notice.—
Kelsie Gibson,
Peoplemag,
8 Feb. 2023
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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
Noun
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Fires from lightning and those set by Indian tribes typically burned through giant sequoia groves every 10 to 20 years before the Gold Rush of the 1850s.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
13 Apr. 2026
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Through consultation with Native tribes, the exhibit highlights how the use of hunting tools evolved over time for the earliest residents of Douglas County.—
Olivia Young,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Rising prices could pressure household budgets and derail consumer spending if Americans pull back on discretionary purchases, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Austan Goolsbee told CBS News earlier this month.—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
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More than one in three West Virginia households is considered energy burdened, spending more than 6% of their income on electricity and other fuel costs.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In one scene, Kahan is at his house in Nashville, packing for a brief tour.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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And Palmer recognizes the architectural elements that make a house feel extra special.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Police last month detained 16 people allegedly linked to the Mazzarella clan on cyber fraud charges.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
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Most of his clan had inherited the freckled, rabbity Kennedy looks.—
Jeffrey Eugenides,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That, of course, and the occasional ghostly presences, unsettling cries, and blood dripping from the ceiling.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
10 Apr. 2026
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Greene made the catch, and Meadows landed on his back in a daze, barely moving with his hands pointed up and blood on his face.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Julia’s Warrior won a six-furlong race in November, 2024.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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The Mavericks have been out of the playoff race for weeks in a season that started with high expectations but crumbled with Anthony Davis' continuing injury issues and eventual trade to Washington.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nuclear family.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nuclear%20family. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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