extended family
noun
: a family that includes in one household near relatives (such as grandparents, aunts, or uncles) in addition to a nuclear family
Given space, there are ways in which even larger populations than the extended family can be accommodated under one roof.—
Paul Oliver
Paul Oliver
also
: an extensive group of people who are related by blood or marriage or who otherwise regard themselves as a large family
Four out of every five people who go through a first divorce remarry … . Thus it is that husbands and wives, their former partners, children and stepchildren, and a whole constellation of grandparents and other relatives are brought together in the new American extended family. —Michael Norman
Michael Norman During his five years at Owen High, he turned his teams into an extended family and tried to instill in his players the same sense of self-worth that Baldwin had imparted to him years before. —William Nack
William Nack 
Examples of extended family in a Sentence
their extended family includes a grandmother and widowed aunt
Recent Examples on the Web
Clients who go that route often opt to continue operating it as a business for periods each year—long-term vacancy in any house causes more problems than occupancy, after all—with guests welcomed for, say, 10 months each year but peak summer reserved solely for extended family.
—The Editors, Robb Report, 2 Feb. 2025
Hira, police said, was allegedly lured out of the country under the guise of visiting extended family in Pakistan, per NYT.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 31 Jan. 2025
On Wednesday, attending a funeral near the resort for an extended family that lost 14 members in the fire, Mr. Erdogan struck a somber tone.
—Ben Hubbard, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025
Sports Lakers and Clippers games for Saturday postponed because of L.A. fires
Jan. 10, 2025
Paul’s extended family who lives in the area?
—Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for extended family 
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The Editors, Robb Report, 2 Feb. 2025
Hira, police said, was allegedly lured out of the country under the guise of visiting extended family in Pakistan, per NYT.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 31 Jan. 2025
On Wednesday, attending a funeral near the resort for an extended family that lost 14 members in the fire, Mr. Erdogan struck a somber tone.
—Ben Hubbard, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025
Sports Lakers and Clippers games for Saturday postponed because of L.A. fires
Jan. 10, 2025
Paul’s extended family who lives in the area?
—Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for extended family
Articles Related to extended family
Dictionary Entries Near extended family
Cite this Entry
“Extended family.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extended%20family. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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