clans

noun

plural of clan
1
as in communities
a group of people sharing a common interest and relating together socially that clan of football fans has parties every weekend on which the New England Patriots play

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tribes
a group of persons who come from the same ancestor the whole clan gets together only for holidays

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of clans Ali Mahmoud Ali, the group's Sudan analyst, said that the latest clashes risk bringing in more Nuba clans into the fight and could increase divisions across South Kordofan, where communities are facing an already dire humanitarian situation. — ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026 All Palestinian clans and families in Gaza would also be a target for disarmament, which would have an impact on the future of Hamas and Palestinian armed struggle. — Mkhaimar Abusada, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026 Scores attach to a profile, clans compete by country, challenges travel between friends. — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 Various Maji clans such as the Omi Clan, or Maji of Water, and Ikú Clan, or Maji of Life and Death, practice different forms of magic, with Omi Tiders wielding waves and Ikù Reapers, like Zelie’s mother, summoning souls. — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 28 July 2026 Her homeland, the kingdom of Orisha, is divided into clans with different magical abilities. — Mya Copeland, Variety, 28 July 2026 The 18-hole golf course is lined with tribal history, each hole named for clans, villages, allies, medicines and symbols, filled with vibrant greenery, waterways and trees, the course's website noted. — Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 27 July 2026 The event consists of live music, competition events such as highland dancing and sheepdog trials, food vendors and educational classes on what Scottish clans are. — Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2026 Publishers Coolabi Group and Chinese online giant Tencent Video have greenlit the series, adapted from Erin Hunter’s novels about battling clans of feral cats, which have sold more than 90 million copies worldwide. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 1 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clans
  1. communities
  2. tribes
  3. networks
  4. families
  5. cliques
  6. houses
  7. crowds
  8. circles
Noun
  • Like every Lucy project, there are also swing-for-the-fences samples, of the kinds of old, viral songs that create communities of nostalgic yearners in their YouTube comments.
    — H.D. Angel, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Working with creators, brands and communities to develop new experiences, sponsorships and brand partnerships.
    — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of communities
Noun
  • With a Scott Dunn kids’ club that’s slicker than most London nurseries, the tribes here fluctuate with the school term timetable.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Van Sickle said 11 member tribes rely on treaty rights to harvest resources such as maple sap, cedar boughs and other forest products, essential for guaranteeing traditional ways of life on indigenous lands.
    — Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of tribes
Noun
  • The constitutional question has been litigated many times, and by our count, every state or federal appellate court that’s ruled on the issue has concluded that ALPR networks are within bounds of the Fourth Amendment.
    — Rafael A. Mangual, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026
  • As defense shifts from traditional armor toward connected missile-defense grids and real-time targeting, its components become increasingly central to the weapons and sensing systems that make those networks work.
    — Harvey Stober, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of networks
Noun
  • That distinction matters, particularly when counseling families facing a devastating diagnosis.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Plummer, the Montgomery County Republican chairman, is now on the ballot for the Ohio state Senate and stressed that Trump has been what keeps the GOP's coalition of businesses and working-class families together.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of families
Noun
  • So the players will get a day off to cool down but have to spend the night at the pub quiz in teams of Ted’s choosing, never mind the cliques.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Amid the crushes, cliques, and teenage angst, two sisters set out to define themselves on their own terms.
    — Denise Petski, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of cliques
Noun
  • Since at least the 1970s and 1980s, there have been incidents of gang rape of intoxicated, incapacitated women in fraternity houses.
    — Richard Hall, Time, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Hyatt transformed the resort with six new buildings, including additional guest houses; all 117 rooms have also been overhauled, and there is a new pool as well as tons of new activities and programs.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of houses
Noun
  • This once-sleepy coastal village is now a hot spot for tourists, with legendary sunsets that attract crowds.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The huge crowds were stressful for police, who ended up working longer shifts than usual to deal with traffic, accidents, shoplifting and other issues.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of crowds
Noun
  • Advertisement In many circles, the first mention of climate policy in the EU tends to be a discussion about backtracking.
    — Justin Worland, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The death in a helicopter crash of Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo, his wife and three others has reverberated across government and industry circles on the continent, as investigators began examining what caused the aircraft to go down.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of circles

Browse Nearby Words

clannish
clans
clansman
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Cite this Entry

“Clans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clans. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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