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 Clark came up in a traditional American nuclear family in Des Moines, Iowa with a family history defined by sports, as her grandfather was a locally famous high school football coach. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 July 2026 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 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
  • Indigenous tribes adopted names including the drying rice moon, the falling leaves moon and the migrating moon.
    — Dharma Niles, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The initiatives pitted some of California’s most successful Native American tribes with gaming interests against gambling corporations, including online sports gaming companies DraftKings and FanDuel.
    — Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of tribe
Noun
  • The Times reported that the Metropolitan Police shared the information with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, but apparently not with other members of the royal household.
    — Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Wholesale prices are only one part of a household bill, typically 30% to 50%, according to PolitiFact, so residential bills haven’t risen nearly that much.
    — Sasha Tuddenham, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of household
Noun
  • The country's upper house of parliament voted last month to require UBS to hold 90% of Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) capital, or about $16 billion in extra shares, as collateral to support its foreign subsidiaries.
    — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The stranger’s dress had been stored in the family’s house for more than a decade.
    — Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of house
Noun
  • As the two clans battle it out on the field, regardless of who takes home the trophy Lexi may have already won at love.
    — Rachel LaBonte, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Looking forward to 2030, all eyes will turn to Bolsonaro clan ally Tarcísio de Freitas, who did not enter the presidential race and instead supported Flávio Bolsonaro.
    — David Unsworth , Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of clan
Noun
  • Upgrade Your Pastries With More Fiber and Protein Pastries and bakery-style breakfasts like muffins or croissants are tasty and tempting, but they’re often made with refined flour, which strips away important blood-sugar-stabilizing nutrients.
    — Caitlin Beale, HEALTH, 29 Oct. 2026
  • With 180 people injured, including 110 taken to hospitals, authorities issued a call for blood donations.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 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 1 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on nuclear family

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nuclear family

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