extended family

[ik-sten-did fam-uh-lee, fam lee] / ɪkˈstɛn dɪd ˈfæm ə li, ˈfæm li /

NOUN

parents, children, and relatives

Synonyms

STRONGEST

nuclear family

WEAK

binuclear family kinship group menage ménage relations

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.

It feels a little like a reunion, with everyone a part of the extended family.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

The land on which the Methodist church now stands was donated by members of the same extended family connected to the tree.

From BBC • May 2, 2026

Living in a “compound household” with extended family felt “oppressive” to him, and he felt more at home in New York City, his son recounts.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

At the time, Fatone was married to Kelly Baldwin, with whom he shares two children—and the two had invited several members of his extended family over for a celebration.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 23, 2026

It turned out that my mom’s parents already knew and so did a lot of extended family members.

From "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick