CLIQUEY Synonyms: 25 Similar and Opposite Words

cliquey

adjective

Definition of cliquey

as in cliquish

bound together by feelings of very close association found the people at the brokerage house to be just as cliquey as a gaggle of high school cheerleaders

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 cliquey The middle daughter of the family has always felt outside of its cliquey confines, what with Lizzy and Jane forming such a pair and Kitty and Lydia (Molly Wright and Grace Hogg-Robinson) practically sharing a brain. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 6 May 2026 The Friends set was notorious for being cliquey and insular. — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cliquey

Adjective

Whitehead wanted to write, but workshops rejected him and the cliquish undergraduate literary scene put him off.

— Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 June 2026

Definition of cliquish

Adjective

Underneath the friendly little pixel clock, though, the presence of an ESP32 makes things interesting, and Ulanzi has done something rather unusual.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Aug. 2026
Otherwise, there’s definitely a family-friendly element to the hotel (the whole storybook feel screams childhood), though the food options may be a little bit advanced for a kids’ palate.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of friendly

Adjective

The Machine was lambasted, fairly, for its clannish coördination and its efforts to keep Democratic politics in a certain mainstream style.

— Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
In the Middle Ages, local churchgoers whispered of clannish Jews poisoning wells to kill Christian children and steal their blood for their rituals.

— Mike Rothschild, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026

Definition of clannish

Adjective

The point is to make the brand’s Parisian identity travel throughout its 56 markets without turning it into a collection of familiar cues and clichés.

— Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
In the campaign video, Kelce arrives at New York’s iconic The Plaza Hotel and greets a few familiar A-list faces before heading to his room to relax with an adorable, fluffy white dog.

— Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of familiar

Adjective

Bridgeport sits just outside of downtown on the Near South Side, and homeowners are close-knit.

— Jermont Terry, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
In a market like Louisville, where professional networks are often close-knit and reputations matter, marketing decisions can have a noticeable impact on customer perception and business relationships.

— Jason Phillips, Ascend Agency, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of close-knit

Browse Nearby Words

cliques

cliquey

cliquish

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“Cliquey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cliquey. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of cliquey

adjective

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