COUSINS Synonyms: 23 Similar and Opposite Words

cousins

noun

Definition of cousins

plural of cousin

as in relatives

a person connected with another by blood or marriage we both were surprised to learn that we are distant cousins

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

nonrelatives

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of cousins Some cousins took him and his older brother ice skating for the first time, providing the first step on the path to a professional career. — Idaho Statesman, 1 July 2026 Over the course of a few days, this bashful teen, always armed with her camcorder and far less free-spirited than her cousins, will be beset by her father’s feuding family. — Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026 Her recipe is in the school cookbook from the ‘90s—and, more precious to me, in the three-ring binder of family favorites that my grandfather, mom, and aunts gifted my cousins and me a few years ago. — Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 3 July 2026 Should a rider want to toast these wonders with their tequila cousins, or just get a warm meal and good night's sleep after a ride, the nearby town of Twentynine Palms is the go-to stop for those needing an oasis. — Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026 The claim comes a week after the county completed an internal investigation and began the process of firing four social workers involved in placing Jaxon with his paternal cousins. — Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 7 July 2026 Davis is survived by her husband, Brian Espinosa; her father, Jay Emerson Davis of Tustin; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. — Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 July 2026 Love co-founded the Beach Boys in 1961 with his cousins Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson and friend Al Jardine. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026 In a sit-down interview with ABC News' Senior National Correspondent Steve Osunsami, Banks met Salvatore Pace, one of his white cousins who is a Jefferson Randolph Coolidge descendant, for the first time. — Briana Stewart, ABC News, 4 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cousins

Noun

Stay out of the sun, and make sure to check up on relatives and neighbors.

— NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 6 July 2026
With no electricity or phone signal, many have struggled to find news of relatives in the affected areas.

— Catherine Ellis, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026

Definition of relatives

Noun

Strategic thinking, understanding situations, client relations and accountability cannot be transferred to an algorithm.

— Tyler Dykstra, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
The former congresswoman expressed interest in starting a new political party after her public split from the Republican Party over the handling of the Epstein files and relations with Israel.

— Sydney Topf, The Washington Examiner, 7 July 2026

Definition of relations

Browse Nearby Words

cousin

cousins

couth

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Cousins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cousins. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of cousins

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on cousins

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

gambol

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes