as in ancestry
the line of ancestors from whom a person is descended
his family tree includes writers, musical composers, and other notables in the arts
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of family tree
Trump’s maternal line, through his mother Mary Anne MacLeod, is said to connect to the same extended family tree that leads to the House of Windsor.
—
Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 29 Apr. 2026
The outlet's family tree links both King Charles, 77, and Trump back to Scottish nobleman John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Lennox, who lived from 1490 to 1526 and was the great-grandson of King James II of Scotland.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
But the family tree here tells a much deeper story.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2026
Still, there’s more to say about this family tree.
—Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for family tree
Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 29 Apr. 2026
The outlet's family tree links both King Charles, 77, and Trump back to Scottish nobleman John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Lennox, who lived from 1490 to 1526 and was the great-grandson of King James II of Scotland.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
But the family tree here tells a much deeper story.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2026
Still, there’s more to say about this family tree.
—Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for family tree
Recent Examples of Synonyms for family tree
Noun
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Similarly, modern human populations have some Neanderthal ancestry — a legacy of past interactions with that species that went extinct about 40,000 years ago.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
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Without due process, everyone of Japanese ancestry on the West Coast was forced to abandon (or sell, usually at a significant loss) their homes, farms and businesses before being put in camps like Manzanar.—
Assistant Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Noun
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And their descendants, which often go on to lose those extra chromosome copies, retain evidence in their DNA of the ancient duplication event that helped their lineage survive.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
19 May 2026
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The Austin Nichol Archive Series, which is named after the company that owned the distillery until 1980, continues the family lineage—it was overseen by associate master blender Bruce Russell, Eddie’s son and Jimmy’s grandson.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
19 May 2026
Noun
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That mystery was finally solved in November 2025, when investigators identified Devan Riggs through advanced DNA testing and forensic genealogy, the agency announced.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
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The breakthrough came from investigative genealogy work, led in part by students and staff at Ramapo College's Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center, in coordination with the Albuquerque Police Department and the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Noun
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The communal pool has a splash pad with a mushroom shower for little ones, while the secluded two-story lagoon villas have private pools, large living spaces, and two to three bedrooms ideal for multi-generational families.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
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Being part of Braddock’s family came with perquisites.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
Noun
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Gray whales have long migrated along the California coast on their roughly 12,000-mile (19,300-kilometer) journey between breeding lagoons in Mexico and feeding grounds in the Arctic.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 May 2026
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Robles said the district will increase mosquito trapping and surveillance to identify breeding sites.—
Reeti Malhotra,
Sacbee.com,
20 May 2026
Noun
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All these rejections have origins in the historical flaws and faults of our nation’s history and our systems of education.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
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Since its launch in 2010, Everlane broke down pricing and production costs and traced its garments’ manufacturing and material origins, which customers could easily find on its site.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
20 May 2026
Noun
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This all makes sense, considering his pedigree.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
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Despite its Hollywood pedigree past — John Wayne and Cary Grant used to sit at the bar, while the late Chuck Norris once owned the spot — Woody’s is for everyone, no Black Amex required.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
13 May 2026
Noun
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During certain portions of the race, competitors are forced to scramble on all fours while navigating steep inclines and narrow descents.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
25 May 2026
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But there was an undeniable partisan element to the descent as well.—
John Avlon,
The Atlantic,
25 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Family tree.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/family%20tree. Accessed 26 May. 2026.
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