in-group

noun

1
: a group with which one feels a sense of solidarity or community of interests compare out-group
2
: clique

Examples of in-group in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Just like cults, marketers exploit vulnerabilities, create in-groups and out-groups and play on emotions to drive behavior. Dr. Mara Einstein, Deadline, 29 Nov. 2024 To be sure, in-group love and out-group hatred are logically interconnected: the prospect of a common threat can bring us together, so the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024 In any large organization, there are always smaller cliques, in-groups and out-groups. Francine Russo, Scientific American, 6 Sep. 2024 Conversely, when people from an in-group spend time with those from an out-group, dislike or mistrust declines. Isabel Sawhill, Foreign Affairs, 4 Jan. 2021 When revised data support the in-group’s political policies, members of the out-group sometime allege that the numbers were cooked for partisan advantage. Bill Conerly, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2024 Moreover, recent research has revealed that rural Americans have developed a sense of obligation that is more focused on local in-groups, in contrast with a more universalistic sense of moral obligation found among urban dwellers. Jonathan Rodden, Foreign Affairs, 20 Apr. 2020 Studies show that nearly all bosses have—or are seen to have—in-groups and out-groups. Ginka Toegel jean-Louis Barsoux, Harvard Business Review, 1 July 2024 Regardless of race and gender, kids struggled to prioritize what was right and just over their prejudices and in-groups. Melanie Killen, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of in-group was in 1907

Dictionary Entries Near in-group

Cite this Entry

“In-group.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in-group. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on in-group

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!