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.

By September, they claim, lawyers representing some of the families informed them they should cease direct contact, pending legal action.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

It is a book that leads with its rigorously achieved style, which is stripped down, dryly unsentimental and keenly attuned to the tensions present in families and friendships.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

For years, the hospice industry, which was designed to provide comfort and guidance for dying patients and their families in their final days, attracted scammers enticed by large Medicare payments, officials say.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

Meanwhile, the proportion of families made up of a married couple with or without children has fallen as other family types, including unmarried couples, civil partners and single parents become more common.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

Even though my immoral behavior was still a secret, Ma was right that our two families had something in common.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu