sister-in-law

noun

sis·​ter-in-law ˈsi-st(ə-)rən-ˌlȯ 

-tərn-ˌlȯ

plural sisters-in-law ˈsi-stər-zən-ˌlȯ 

1

: the sister of one's spouse

2

a

: the wife of one's sibling

b

: the wife of one's spouse's sibling

Examples of sister-in-law in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As the two women reconnect—bound by their history as former sisters-in-law—the narrative unfolds as a delicate exploration of identity and the difficult process of letting go. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026

Viewers waited eight months, to the day, to find out that sister-in-law Kristin Shepard was the real assailant who framed Sue Ellen for the shooting. — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 16 Aug. 2026

On a subsequent trip, a broken leg kept Straus from returning to New York on the maiden voyage of the Titanic; his brother Isidor and sister-in-law Ida were not so fortunate. — Leslie Lenkowsky, The Conversation, 11 Aug. 2026

Unlike her American sister-in-law, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, Catherine tends to prefer to stick to the script. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sister-in-law

• avoirdupois
• aa
• aha
• bashaw
• bradshaw
• byelaw
• bylaw
• chainsaw
• cheraw
• coleslaw
• crenshaw
• dada

Kids Definition

sister-in-law

noun

sis·​ter-in-law

ˈsis-t(ə-)rən-ˌlȯ, 

-tərn-ˌlȯ

plural sisters-in-law

-tər-zən-

1

: the sister of one's spouse

2

a

: the wife of one's sibling

b

: the wife of one's spouse's sibling