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.

To many of the families of the dead, returning to Mystic is crass bordering on disrespectful.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

They’re already working with 11 families with homes under construction, and have 50 more signed on to build their catalog homes.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026

“Evidence suggests that when families have supportive infrastructure around them, they’re more likely to have the children they want to have.”

From Salon • Apr. 18, 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

“It wasn’t the DuBois or the Shea families; I didn’t even meet them. It was Mr. Dannenberg.”

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse