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

Thousands of families are still hoping to reclaim ancestral land that was taken by the communists after World War II, with some claiming ownership over land allocated to the project.

From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026

"I am determined that we do everything in our power to prevent other families from suffering such a devastating loss."

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

Quite a few have been in families for generations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

“The families. We didn’t know who would want to reach out to me, but isn’t it obvious? The families of the boys who died. It makes sense, doesn’t it?”

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse