kinsmen

noun

plural of kinsman
as in cousins
a person connected with another by blood or marriage to protect the family honor, he sought to revenge the murder of his kinsman

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 kinsmen Records of public meetings and community newspapers feature jabs at how far these sorry kinsmen have strayed from their heritage. — Eythana Miller, The Dial, 23 June 2026 But the chief’s kinsmen failed to honor his request. — Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kinsmen
  1. cousins
  2. relatives
  3. relations
Noun
  • Bizarrely, sweepstakes machines, unlike their VGT and casino slot cousins, are neither regulated nor taxed.
    — Joe Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Cuban Knight Anole Cuban knight anoles are the bigger, greener cousins to a brown anole.
    — Alex Harris August 25, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of cousins
Noun
  • He has also been allowed weekly meetings with his wife, as well as telephone and WhatsApp contact with relatives in Pakistan and abroad, the ministry said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The company set up a hotline for warehouse employees and for their relatives.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of relatives
Noun
  • Canada could restrict key exports to the US, such as energy and a key fertilizer ingredient known as potash, said Diamond Isinger, a policy strategist and former special advisor on Canada-US relations to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
    — Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Cook’s legacy has been defined by his deft leadership through tumultuous supply chain environments and tense international trade relations.
    — Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of relations

Browse Nearby Words

kinsman
kinsmen
kinswoman
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kinsmen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kinsmen. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of kith

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

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

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

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All