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
  • That growth has fueled disputes with states and Native American tribes over regulatory authority, while drawing scrutiny from sports leagues over game integrity and from advocates who say the platforms’ accessibility increases the risk of addiction.
    — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The first two seasons chart the rise of legendary early 19th century Zulu King Shaka, his brilliant battlefield strategy and struggle to unite Zulu tribes under his empire.
    — Emily Longeretta, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of tribe
Noun
  • Some 39% limited in-person viewing to their household or close family and friends, almost twice the share of any other generation.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Income, bills, savings goals and family expenses shift, and the treat budget should reflect what the household can afford now.
    — Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 8 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
  • The Worth clan, especially the demure yet hungry-eyed adult daughter Penny, played by Gail Russell, nurses Quirt back to health after his opening-credits shootout with the Laredo gang — of which Quirt’s a member, looking to get out.
    — Michael Phillips, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The streamer and Shondaland announced Thursday that an untitled spinoff about the early life of the future matriarch of the Bridgerton clan is in the works.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of clan
Noun
  • How Doctors Diagnose and Treat It Health care providers use the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders to classify trypanophobia as a specific phobia of the blood-injection-injury type.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The kids age normally, can eat food and drink blood, and have inherited some of their dad’s special powers.
    — Whitney Friedlander, Los Angeles Times, 8 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 13 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on nuclear family

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nuclear family

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