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
Not just members of his extended clan — the Kushners, the Trumps — but others whom he’s known for decades, including a commercial real-estate exec who met him on the charity circuit and a former real-estate attorney who testified on his behalf during his hush-money trial.
—
Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 22 Jan. 2025
As Donald Trump takes his oath of office to become the 47th President of the United States and begin his second tenure, politicians, the Trump clan, tech titans et al have arrived at the US Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C. to bear witness.
—Vogue, 20 Jan. 2025
Throughout the day, visitors can wander between stages with live music from Celtic rock bands, witness dance competitions, see border collie demonstrations and learn about Scottish heritage while exploring clans.
—Patrick Connolly, Orlando Sentinel, 17 Jan. 2025
Some, like Dynasty Warriors 7 (2011) emphasized the differences between the various warring clans by breaking encounters up into smaller chunks where players bounce between opposing perspectives rather than focusing on any one heroic faction.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for clan 
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.
Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 22 Jan. 2025
As Donald Trump takes his oath of office to become the 47th President of the United States and begin his second tenure, politicians, the Trump clan, tech titans et al have arrived at the US Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C. to bear witness.
—Vogue, 20 Jan. 2025
Throughout the day, visitors can wander between stages with live music from Celtic rock bands, witness dance competitions, see border collie demonstrations and learn about Scottish heritage while exploring clans.
—Patrick Connolly, Orlando Sentinel, 17 Jan. 2025
Some, like Dynasty Warriors 7 (2011) emphasized the differences between the various warring clans by breaking encounters up into smaller chunks where players bounce between opposing perspectives rather than focusing on any one heroic faction.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 17 Jan. 2025
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 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share