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Glite Dictionary
clannishly

clannishly

9.4
In a way that keeps a small, close group together and leaves outsiders out
  • adverb
  • /ˈklænɪʃli/
translation icon : de manera exclusiva
  • She wished her classmates would stop interacting so clannishly and include everyone more often.

Examples

  • Some neighborhoods are known to act clannishly, keeping outsiders at a distance.

  • The new team members felt unwelcome because the established staff behaved clannishly.

  • They act clannishly.

  • Don't be so clannishly exclusive!

  • The group of friends clannishly shared their secrets, trusting no one outside their circle.

  • She spoke clannishly about her family's traditions, feeling a strong bond with her relatives.

  • The club met clannishly every weekend, preferring to keep their activities private from outsiders.

Synonyms

cliquishly
vsclannishly
  • Informal
9.1

In a way that makes people feel left out of a small closed group

is more about inward close ties rather than actively excluding outsiders
tribally
vsclannishly
8.1

In a way that shows strong loyalty to one group and opposes others

is more inward and exclusive without strong active opposition to others

Antonyms

openly
303 1.6

To say or do things without hiding feelings

How Exclusive

exclusively
191 3.3
clannishly
9.4
openly
303 1.6

Surface Forms

clannishly positive

Morphology

clannishly = clannish (transparent) = clan + ish + ly

Formed by regular derivation: 'clan' + '-ish' = 'clannish' (adjective), then '-ly' makes the adverb; meanings follow standard patterns.

Etymology

The word clannishly comes from the Gaelic word clann meaning 'family' or 'children', and is the same root as the English word clan, which names a close family group. So to act clannishly is to behave like a tight, inward group that often keeps outsiders away.