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.

Investigators are in the process of interviewing those witnesses as they piece together what happened at an event filled with new graduates and their families.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026

Weekly attendance suffered during the pandemic, but the congregation is seeing an uptick in young families, says the Rev. Alfred Bradley.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

Over three years, they hope to expand to 50 members, made up of "at least half women", with couples and families also welcome.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

Researchers believe the same strategy could eventually be applied to other virus families, including Ebola viruses and influenza viruses.

From Science Daily • Jun. 5, 2026

As usual, I’m alone with Mamá, since my two brothers and my sister, who are much older than me, now live with families of their own.

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar