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.

He expressed condolences to the victims' families, offering them full support from the state authorities.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

My maternal grandparents’ families were murdered in the Holocaust and I just couldn’t understand this mother’s choice.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Last year’s Palisades and Eaton fires sent thousands of families on a quest for shelter.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

“The lack of data is almost acting like a reassurance for families that this risk is worth taking.”

From Salon • May 7, 2026

Lydia demanded an explanation, and when the one given didn’t meet her standards, she threatened to pull Ginny from Shady Glen if the Person from Corporate didn’t arrange a meeting with the two families.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman