clique
Tight-knit faction
A clique is a small, exclusive group of people who associate closely and tend to exclude outsiders.
The word carries negative connotations of snobbishness and insularity: the popular clique in high school, Washington's political cliques.
Members of a clique may not see themselves as exclusionary, but those left out usually do.
Small working group
- crewWorking team aboard
- circleCurved closed shape
- posseArmed group pursuing fugitives
- gangOrganized criminal group
faction · cabal · cadre · entourage · pack · ring · set · bunch
Widely admired by many
- eliteSuperior select group
- in-crowdFashionable exclusive group
- A-listTop celebrity ranking
- statusOne's relative position
alpha · top-tier · ranking · untouchables · jocks · plastics
Place of instruction
- cafeteriaSelf-service dining facility
- lunchroomCommunal eating space
- hallwayInterior connecting passage
- lockerSecured storage compartment
playground · workplace · office · campus · dorm · boardroom · Hollywood
One excluded from group
- rejectionDenial of acceptance
- ostracismBanishment from a group
- snubDeliberate dismissive rejection
- cold-shoulderIntentional social rejection
blackball · shunning · marginalization · gatekeeping · unwelcoming · clannish · closed-off · impenetrable
Adherence to norms
- groupthinkConformity-driven poor decisions
- bullyingAggressive repeated intimidation
- intimidationDeliberate fear-inducing pressure
- normsExpected behavioral standards
expectations · compliance · hazing · coercion · influence · manipulation · dress-code
Faithful commitment to another
- camaraderieGoodwill among companions
- solidarityUnity among allies
- belongingState of fitting in
- intimacyEmotional closeness between people
rapport · trust · closeness · friendship · kinship · bond · alliance · unity
squad
Small working group
gang · faction · cabal · cadre · entourage · pack · ring · set · bunch · crowd
popular
Widely admired by many
status · alpha · top-tier · ranking · untouchables · jocks · plastics
school
Place of instruction
- cafeteriaSelf-service dining facility
- lunchroomCommunal eating space
- hallwayInterior connecting passage
locker · playground · workplace · office · campus · dorm · boardroom · Hollywood
outsider
One excluded from group
cold-shoulder · blackball · shunning · marginalization · gatekeeping · unwelcoming · clannish · closed-off · impenetrable · insular
conformity
Adherence to norms
- groupthinkConformity-driven poor decisions
- bullyingAggressive repeated intimidation
- intimidationDeliberate fear-inducing pressure
norms · expectations · compliance · hazing · coercion · influence · manipulation · dress-code
loyalty
Faithful commitment to another
- camaraderieGoodwill among companions
- solidarityUnity among allies
- belongingState of fitting in
intimacy · rapport · trust · closeness · friendship · kinship · bond · alliance · unity · cohesion
- cliquesin-crowd, in-group, inner circle, cool kids, popular kids
- inner circlesinner circle, inner ring, inner sanctum, in-group, ingroup
- political intrigueintrigue, conspiracy, treason, plot, collusion
- shadow powerpuppet master, puppeteer, string puller, string pulling, string-pulling
- groupsteam, teams, group, club, clubs
- adolescencepuberty, teenager, coming-of-age, growing up, teen
cliquepublic assembly
Open collective gathering
open society · the masses · commune · melting pot · open forum
cliqueloner
One who avoids company
individualist · lone wolf · outsider · hermit · recluse
cliquebrotherhood
Kinship among men
sisterhood · fellowship · open arms · hospitality · solidarity