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.

With the exception of brief calls to their families, the astronauts relied on their connections to each other and Mission Control to accomplish the program objectives.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

In addition, “the data shows that some California families are relocating to less expensive suburban communities like Elk Grove and Vacaville.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

A social supermarket has opened in Lincolnshire, aiming to help families in food poverty save up to 70% on their weekly shop.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

In those early years, Black men in livery—many descended from families once enslaved in the area—steered horse carriages down the main thoroughfare.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

“It wasn’t the DuBois or the Shea families; I didn’t even meet them. It was Mr. Dannenberg.”

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse