nuclear family

noun

: a family group that consists only of parents and children

Examples of nuclear family in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The show’s interests are theoretically in a nuclear family gradually coming back together, though even that theme is halfheartedly pursued. — Alison Herman, Variety, 16 July 2026

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

The show about the white-picket fence Cleaver family and their troublesome son created a foundational image of post-war Americana that has been so influential, the show’s title is a shorthand for this era of conservative nuclear family values. — Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 29 June 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

Word History

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for nuclear family

• multifamily
• nonfamily
• stepfamily
• subfamily

Kids Definition

nuclear family

noun

: a family group that consists only of father, mother, and children

Medical Definition

nuclear family

noun

: a family group that consists only of father, mother, and children see extended family