Definition

1. 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

1. an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose