1
a
: a Celtic group especially in the Scottish Highlands comprising a number of households whose heads claim descent from a common ancestor
the MacDonald clan
b
: a group of people tracing descent from a common ancestor : family
The whole clan gets together for the holidays.
2
: a group united by a common interest or common characteristics
the country club clan
Synonyms
Examples of clan in a Sentence
The tribe is divided into clans.
The whole clan gets together for the holidays.
Recent Examples on the Web
She’s been one of the most active of the Robertson clan, writing best-selling books, hosting a podcast, and even popping up on the big screen.
—
Danny Horn, EW.com, 21 Dec. 2024
One of Baltimore’s most prominent families was thrust into the spotlight earlier this month, when a son of the clan, Luigi Mangione, was arrested by Pennsylvania police and charged in the Dec. 4 fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 19 Dec. 2024
There were visits to Nigeria and Colombia by Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and increased visibility for several members of the clan, such as Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.
—Kathy Rose O'Brien and Billy Stockwell, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
Next in Bloomberg’s ranking come a couple of clans from the Middle East: The Al Nahyan family of the United Arab Emirates is second on the list, with $323.9 billion.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 12 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for clan 
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Danny Horn, EW.com, 21 Dec. 2024
One of Baltimore’s most prominent families was thrust into the spotlight earlier this month, when a son of the clan, Luigi Mangione, was arrested by Pennsylvania police and charged in the Dec. 4 fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 19 Dec. 2024
There were visits to Nigeria and Colombia by Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and increased visibility for several members of the clan, such as Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.
—Kathy Rose O'Brien and Billy Stockwell, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
Next in Bloomberg’s ranking come a couple of clans from the Middle East: The Al Nahyan family of the United Arab Emirates is second on the list, with $323.9 billion.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 12 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for clan
Dictionary Entries Near clan
Cite this Entry
“Clan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clan. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
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