clique
Americannoun
verb (used without object)
noun
Synonym Usage
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of clique
1705–15; < French, apparently metaphorical use of Middle French clique latch, or noun derivative of cliquer to make noise, resound, imitative word parallel to click 1
Explanation
A clique is an exclusive group of people or friends. Before Rudolph pulled Santa's sled through the fog, the clique of flying reindeer never let him play their reindeer games. In high school, the exclusive nature of cliques causes a lot of hurt feelings. Clique carries this less than nice feeling with it wherever it goes, whether it be a set of elites who surround a government official, a group of popular kids who don't let others join their group or the closed circle of people at the office who always make sure they get the best jobs.
Vocabulary lists containing clique
100 SAT words Beginning with "C"
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The Catcher in the Rye
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Bronx Masquerade
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The robber clique turns out to have its own bosses, too, as well as the most visible fractures in their unit.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026
So they focus on the people, who are quite the colorful clique of keglers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026
Miller was popular in the sense that she was part of a clique and had social status, but her former classmates said that popularity shouldn’t be confused with being well liked.
From Slate • Dec. 18, 2025
The only member of the clique of hyperscalers to authorize new buybacks this year has been Alphabet, which said back in April that it would purchase up to $70 billion.
From MarketWatch • Nov. 20, 2025
Even if you weren’t running with the coolest clique, you still got some percentage of your rep from your school, and the name Riverdale wasn’t going to impress anyone.
From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
