clique
/kli:k/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- An exclusive circle of people with a common purpose: A small, close-knit group of people who share interests and exclude others from joining their social circle or activities.
- A small, often exclusive, group of associates or friends: Refers to a tight social group that is perceived as being selective and sometimes unfriendly to outsiders.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- She felt excluded because she wasn't part of the popular clique at school.
- The management clique made all the decisions without consulting other employees.
- The club was dominated by a small clique of founding members.
Advanced Usage
- "To form a clique": To create an exclusive group.
- The new students quickly formed a clique based on their shared hobbies.
- "Cliquish behavior" (adjective form: cliquish): Behavior characteristic of a clique; tending to form exclusive groups.
- The department was criticized for its cliquish atmosphere, which made collaboration difficult.
Variants and Related Words
- Cliquey (adj., informal): Another adjective form meaning inclined to form cliques; exclusive.
- The office culture was very cliquey, with little mixing between teams.
- Cliquism (n., rare): The tendency or practice of forming cliques.
- The principal addressed the issue of cliquism among the student body.
Synonyms
- Coterie: A small group of people with shared interests or tastes, especially one that is exclusive.
- In-group: A small, exclusive group of people within a larger organization or community.
- Faction: A small, organized, dissenting group within a larger one, especially in politics.
- Circle: A group of people with a shared profession, interests, or acquaintances.
Antonyms
- Outsider: A person who does not belong to a particular group.
- General public: The ordinary people in society, not part of any exclusive group.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- "To be on the inside/outside of a clique": To be either a member or a non-member of an exclusive group.
- He was always on the outside of the main clique and felt like an observer.
- "A tight-knit clique": Emphasizes the close, exclusive, and often secretive nature of the group.
- The project was run by a tight-knit clique of senior engineers.
Noun
- an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose