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 new contract maintains free healthcare for union members and their families.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

A spokesman for Grenfell United, which represents some of the bereaved families and survivors, said the development was "an important step in a process that has already taken far too long".

From BBC • May 19, 2026

Even those with lives, careers and families are fundamentally lost, snared between their pursuit of personal justice and instinctual self-preservation.

From Salon • May 19, 2026

Costs related to Alzheimer’s care can be astronomical — and for some families, surprising — but there are ways to prepare.

From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026

Mrs. Ellen Walter was a well-connected widow with social ties to both the Grinnell and Kane families.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock