Definitions

father-in-law

[fah-ther-in-law] / ˈfɑ ðər ɪnˌlɔ /

NOUN

kinsman

Synonyms

STRONG

agnate aunt blood brother-in-law cognate connection cousin father folk folks grandparents in-laws kin kinsperson kinswoman mother mother-in-law nephew niece relation sib sibling sister-in-law stepbrother stepparent stepsister uncle

WEAK

clansperson great-grandparents

NOUN

kinswoman

Synonyms

STRONG

agnate aunt blood brother-in-law cognate connection cousin father folk folks grandparents in-laws kin kinsman kinsperson mother mother-in-law nephew niece relation sib sibling sister-in-law stepbrother stepparent stepsister uncle

WEAK

clansperson great-grandparents

NOUN

relative

Synonyms

STRONGEST

aunt cousin father folk mother niece sibling uncle

STRONG

agnate blood brother-in-law cognate connection folks grandparents in-laws kinsperson mother-in-law nephew relation sib sister-in-law stepbrother stepparent stepsister

WEAK

clansperson great-grandparents

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 has visited with the president on numerous occasions and his father-in-law, Ronald Lauder, is a longtime friend of Trump.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

Bowen, 29, is a crowd favourite and his father-in-law is actor and celebrity West Ham fan Danny Dyer.

From BBC • May 17, 2026

Dean Buntrock was happily selling life insurance in Boulder, Colo., in 1956 when the death of his father-in-law thrust him into a very different business: hauling garbage in Chicago.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

Warsh’s father-in-law is Ron Lauder, a longtime friend of Trump’s.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

Billy’s father-in-law laughed and laughed at that, and he begged the quartet to sing the other Polish song he liked so much.

From "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut

father-in-law

Example Sentences

Related Words