nuclear family

noun

: a family group that consists only of parents and children

Examples of nuclear family 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.
With its large nuclear families and religious lifestyles, the state is a hotbed for the lucrative family blogging industry. CBS News, 26 Mar. 2025 Despite all the fronting, Saxon isn’t taken seriously by most of his nuclear family, which probably extends to a lot of people elsewhere in his life. Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 16 Mar. 2025 The Origins Of The Fear Of Infidelity The nuclear family structure relies heavily on monogamy to function. Mark Travers, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025 As nannies and nurses became more expensive, and the sacredness of the nuclear family more enshrined, American families turned to the Zenith Radio Nurse and the TV Eye, early baby monitors. Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 3 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nuclear family

Word History

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nuclear family was in 1924

Cite this Entry

“Nuclear family.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nuclear%20family. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

nuclear family

noun
: a family group that consists only of father, mother, and children

Medical Definition

nuclear family

noun
: a family group that consists only of father, mother, and children see extended family

More from Merriam-Webster on nuclear family

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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