nuclear family

noun

Definition of nuclear familynext
as in extended family
the part of a family that includes only the father, mother, and children

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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 nuclear family Consider that, according to the Center for American Progress, in 1970, 67 percent of adults (defined as 25 to 49 years old) lived in a traditional nuclear family with a spouse and one or more minor children. — Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 June 2026 Go take care of your nuclear family! — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 3 June 2026 Built up in the 1870s as a resort for nuclear families, Fire Island was destroyed by a hurricane in the 1930s, which quickly chased away its upper-class vacationers. — Air Mail, 23 May 2026 In this case, the one on trial is the nuclear family. — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 18 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for nuclear family
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nuclear family
  1. extended family
  2. blended family
  3. people
  4. tribe
  5. household
  6. house
  7. clan
  8. blood
Noun
  • The family now lives in Boise, Idaho, but has visited England multiple times and still has extended family throughout the country, particularly around York and Manchester.
    — Taylor Eldridge, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The State Department also sanctioned the wife of Alejandro Castro Espin, a member of the Castro extended family.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 23 June 2026
Definition of extended family
Noun
  • Dietrich, 36, is now a stay-at-home mother to her blended family of four teenagers and a 17-month-old.
    — Megan Leonhardt, Fortune, 3 Jan. 2023
  • Kourtney Kardashian Barker spent the Christmas holiday with her blended family.
    — Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 29 Dec. 2022
Definition of blended family
Noun
  • Another 13 people were wounded on downtown Sacramento’s K Street and 10th Street, in what became the deadliest mass shooting in the city’s history.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 19 June 2026
  • Organizers say more than 125,000 people are expected throughout the event, bringing in millions of dollars for the local economy.
    — Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 19 June 2026
Definition of people
Noun
  • 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
  • In vibrant blues and sunset oranges, maroon reds and forest greens, the panels pay homage to the Zoot Suiters, indigenous tribes such as the Nisenan from Nevada City and the UFW march that came to Southside Park in August, 2022.
    — Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of tribe
Noun
  • Mercury in your 4th House squares Mars in your sign, making family conversations, privacy, or household matters more likely to test your patience.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Anderson said those households are now choosing items with more protein, and those that give consumers greater control over portion size.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of household
Noun
  • He was arrested in Baltimore in March 2025 after picking up his then-5-year-old son, who has autism and other disabilities, from his grandmother's house, according to court papers.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The hotel’s most unusual feature is its feng shui Japanese Zen garden, complete with an azumaya (open tea house) and cascading waterfall.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of house
Noun
  • Other members of the Chan clan are played by Vincent Cheng, Phoebe Miu, filmmaker Ng and Alannah Ong.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The government is attempting to improve shattered services and open up an economy closed by the corrupt Assad regime, which ran the economy with an iron fist and embezzled billions for the Assad clan and their allies.
    — Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of clan
Noun
  • Introduced crawling through the Trask family’s field, her black blood spattering their rich soil like a human pesticide, Cathy personifies the series’ potent blend of dread and beauty.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Gua sha uses flat blunt tools, often pink quartz, to press and scrape across the skin to relieve muscle tension and boost blood circulation, according to L’Oréal Paris.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of blood

Browse Nearby Words

nuclear families
nuclear family
nuclei
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Cite this Entry

“Nuclear family.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nuclear%20family. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on nuclear family

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nuclear family

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