cliquish

adjective

Definition of cliquishnext
as in clannish
bound together by feelings of very close association the cliquish White House press corps soon let him know that he was not on the A-list

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cliquish
  1. clannish
  2. friendly
  3. familiar
  4. close-knit
  5. close
Adjective
  • This sort of soft, clannish corruption is not a coat of paint that can be stripped from the protectionist architecture; the dysfunction infests the very foundations of it.
    — David B. McGarry, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2025
  • Ambassadorships are often awarded to loyalists and supporters, but this appointment looks particularly clannish.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 22 Jan. 2025
Definition of clannish
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of friendly
Adjective
  • And then, aren’t cats emblematic of whatever is familiar but ultimately unknowable?
    — Barry Schwabsky, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Even in Los Angeles, where Teslas are as familiar as Fords and not primarily viewed as right-wing totems, this wasn’t the first time I’d been shouted at since the election.
    — Andrew Moseman, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of familiar
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of close-knit
Adjective
  • There are several international destinations where pickpocketing is extremely common, so having all of my essentials close is a priority.
    — Jordyn Burrell, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2025
  • The six-point halftime margin would be the closest Boise State would be to Nebraska for the rest of the game.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 5 Apr. 2025
Definition of close
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.

Browse Nearby Words

cliquey
cliquish
cliquishness
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Cite this Entry

“Cliquish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cliquish. Accessed 12 Apr. 2025.

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