as in cliquish
bound together by feelings of very close association
a clannish family that can be rather cool to outsiders
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Recent Examples of clannish
The most successful of those managers have carved out a niche catering to the valley’s famously clannish billionaire elites.
—
James McClain, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2023
There are a broad spectrum of other possible explanations for the disparate outcomes Boegeman cites, including religious differences, geographic differences, even — gasp — the clannish propensity of ethnic groups to band together and create — or retain — their unique cultural traditions.
—Star Tribune, 19 July 2021
The Trumps are nothing if not clannish.
—Hari Kunzru, The New York Review of Books, 2 July 2020
As each story revolves around the perils and power of racial or clannish identity, their sequels would naturally call for advances in inclusion of all kinds.
—Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2022
See All Example Sentences for clannish
James McClain, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2023
There are a broad spectrum of other possible explanations for the disparate outcomes Boegeman cites, including religious differences, geographic differences, even — gasp — the clannish propensity of ethnic groups to band together and create — or retain — their unique cultural traditions.
—Star Tribune, 19 July 2021
The Trumps are nothing if not clannish.
—Hari Kunzru, The New York Review of Books, 2 July 2020
As each story revolves around the perils and power of racial or clannish identity, their sequels would naturally call for advances in inclusion of all kinds.
—Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2022
See All Example Sentences for clannish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clannish
Adjective
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Baseball’s celebration of that day often obscures the fact that MLB hasn’t been African American friendly in decades.—
Terence Moore,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
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Vermont's politics and demographics are also more friendly to Sanders' views than other battleground districts in the Trump era.—
Stephen Fowler,
NPR,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Many Mennonite communities are close-knit and under-vaccinated, which may have contributed to the spread of measles among members of the community.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2025
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Leading this loud and lovingly close-knit multigenerational family is Suga Mama (Jo Marie Payton), the feisty grandma and matriarch.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Parents,
15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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And then, aren’t cats emblematic of whatever is familiar but ultimately unknowable?—
Barry Schwabsky,
Artforum,
1 Apr. 2025
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But if the screaming sirens and looming threats to life and property are familiar, this year is different, experts say, with fewer National Weather Service employees on the job because of layoffs by President Donald Trump and less data about weather approaching from the Great Plains states.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clannish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clannish. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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