cliques

Definitions

Small, exclusive groups of people who spend time together and are often unfriendly to outsiders.

Small groups of people with shared interests or features who associate exclusively with one another.

Examples

The high school cafeteria was divided into various social cliques that rarely interacted with one another.

The company culture suffered because small cliques formed within departments, hindering overall collaboration.

Synonyms

coteries factions inner circles exclusive groups cabals sets

Antonyms

open groups inclusive communities the general public unaffiliated individuals