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Definitions

in-group

[in-groop] / ˈɪnˌgrup /
NOUN
A list
Synonyms
WEAK
aristocracy beau monde beautiful people cream of society crème de la crème cultured class elite haut monde high life high society jet set privileged class smart set society the Four Hundred the privileged upper crust upper echelon
NOUN
charmed circle
Synonyms
WEAK
closed circle elite fairy ring in-crowd inner circle magic circle popular crowd
NOUN
circle
Synonyms
STRONGEST
camp class clique club company crowd fraternity party ring school society
STRONG
Mafia assembly bunch cabal camarilla clan companions comrades coterie crew cronies crush gang insiders intimates lot mob outfit posse set sorority
Antonyms
STRONG
individual
NOUN
clique
Synonyms
STRONGEST
cabal clan coterie faction gang mob posse
STRONG
Mafia bunch camarilla camp circle club crew crowd crush insiders lobby organization outfit pack ring set society
Antonyms
STRONG
individual
NOUN
inner circle
Synonyms
WEAK
brain trust brains trust cadre charmed circle cohort in-crowd infrastructure inside kitchen cabinet we-group
NOUN
ring
Synonyms
STRONGEST
band camp cartel circle gang organization pool racket syndicate
STRONG
Mafia association bloc bunch cabal cell clan clique coalition combination combine corner coterie crew crowd faction junta junto knot mob monopoly outfit party push troop troupe trust
Antonyms
STRONG
disassociation disunion division separation

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

I wasn’t in the in-group, you know, the most popular kids.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026

This suggests that rivalry strengthens in-group bonds and reinforces social identity.

From Science Daily • Nov. 11, 2025

So if you decide to exclude someone from a paradigm, you have to change the rules and you have to define who is in the in-group and who is in the out-group.

From Slate • Mar. 3, 2025

"So, unless we do something about stereotypical judgments and in-group bias, and the many other ways in which unfairness can undermine our workplaces, meritocracy indeed remains a myth."

From Salon • Jan. 30, 2025

After slavery came to exist it was extended to other cases, even to some classes of cases in the in-group.

From Folkways A Study of the Sociological Importance of Usages, Manners, Customs, Mores, and Morals by Sumner, William Graham

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.