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 result is a sorting of families onto different long-run paths.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

In the big picture, said Stanford’s Dee, “we see continued evidence that the families that left the public school system during the pandemic haven’t really returned.”

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

As high-earning women marry high-earning men and stay in the workforce, families with two professional incomes cluster at the top.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

After we finished making our list he started off with his own two names— families who live near Georgetown, whom he planned to visit after his classes ended for the day.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse