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 wait list is also used as a “soft no” or a “pat on the back” to maintain relationships with counselors at feeder schools, the college’s donors and legacy families, consultants said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

Speaking to reporters backstage, De Pear said it was "the commissioners at the BBC who had the problem engaging with the material, not the doctors who lost their families or the viewers".

From BBC • May 10, 2026

The hope persists, though: Latifi interviewed several teen moms who are trying to make it big to provide for their young families.

From Salon • May 10, 2026

Meerkats, too, grow their families differently under different conditions.

From Slate • May 10, 2026

“And I guess our families don’t make it any easier,” she added.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu