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.

The two families with a long history of antagonism between them are vaguely costumed as either dark forces of oppression or their victims.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026

He believes the battle he is fighting, for himself and other families, is the least he can do to honour them.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026

California families learned the Justice Department was pursuing their medical records only after NYU Langone Health disclosed it had received a criminal subpoena May 7 in Fort Worth, Texas.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

"It means failed rains, dying crops, rising food prices, and families pushed to the edge yet again."

From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026

Despite that, the list of Black families who are set to move in is long.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold