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.

"But at least our families respect us for the money we send back home."

From Barron's • May 25, 2026

According to Mongwalu General Hospital's medical director Dr Richard Lokudu, Sunday's attackers demanded the bodies of two people be given to their families.

From BBC • May 25, 2026

In an aging society, young families represent a potential long-term asset as homeowners, taxpayers, employers, donors, volunteers—and parents.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026

Paloma Valencia, 50, belongs to one of Colombia's most powerful families and is the granddaughter of Guillermo Leon Valencia, a conservative in office from 1962 to 1966.

From Barron's • May 25, 2026

The families in our building are a mix of Sephardic Jews from Turkey and Afro-Cubans, and Teresita’s family is Afro-Cuban.

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar