sisterly
Americanadjective
adverb
adjective
Usage
What does sisterly mean? Sisterly is an adjective that most commonly means like a sister. It’s especially used in a positive way to describe someone as being loyal, supportive, and protective—like a good sister who loves and cares about you. Describing someone as sisterly sometimes implies that they’re like an older sister who can give good advice. Sisterly is most often used to describe sisters themselves and the sisterly things they do, but it can be applied to someone who’s not a sister, as in I don’t have a sister, but I always rely on Jane for sisterly support. Sisterly can also be used as an adverb meaning in the manner of a sister. Sisterly is one of many similar terms based on family relations, including brotherly, motherly, fatherly, grandmotherly, and grandfatherly. Example: I’m lucky that my sisters and I have always shared a sisterly affection—we all support each other.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sisterly
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.
With a final, sisterly eye-roll, Amma sighs: "Oh my gosh, you and your baby!"
From BBC • Sep. 29, 2025
“She has a very natural sisterly instinct,” added Peet, who plays Andrew’s ex-wife Mel.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2025
Hollywood has told this story before, it can be fairly said, and Kapadia channels those pleasures of sisterly solidarity and getting your groove back while also adding a subtle layer of spiritual awakening.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 6, 2024
Whereas “The Homecoming” was noted for its claustrophobic machismo, here it’s the women who dominate the proceedings, vacillating between sisterly tenderness and bitter recriminations.
From New York Times • Feb. 9, 2024
The hours I passed watching Craig’s games from the bleachers of one gym or another began to feel less like a sisterly obligation.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
