families

[fam-uh-leez, fam-leez] / ˈfæm ə liz, ˈfæm liz /

NOUN

kin, offspring; classification

Synonyms

STRONGEST

clan folk group house household people tribe

STRONG

ancestors ancestry birth blood brood children class descendants descent dynasty extraction forebears genealogy generations genre in-laws inheritance issue kind kindred line lineage network parentage pedigree progenitors progeny race relations relationship relatives siblings strain subdivision system

WEAK

heirs and assigns kith and kin menage ménage

Antonyms

STRONG

parent

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.

Chow wrote in a letter to a group of families of victims of the crackdown this month: "This is an absurd trial where the plaintiff has become the defendant."

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

A spokesperson for the families said: "In Ballymurphy and Bloody Sunday, when the truth was established, the government responded with public apologies. The same standard must apply here."

From BBC • May 18, 2026

Still, the sector is landing younger, affluent travelers, solo travelers, professionals in their 40s and 50s, and multigenerational families, Marozaite said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026

Her organization is the political advocacy arm of CHIRLA, which assists families affected by immigration raids.

From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026

The families in our building are a mix of Sephardic Jews from Turkey and Afro-Cubans, and Teresita’s family is Afro-Cuban.

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar