Meaning & use
family bonding
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
The process of building closer emotional ties between members of a family through shared time and activities.
Grammar: Uncountable: no plural and no 'a'; use it with verbs like 'need', 'encourage', or 'create'.
Patterns
- family bonding time
- encourage family bonding
- family bonding activities
The weekend camping trip was really about family bonding.
Family bonding matters more than expensive gifts.
They set aside Sunday evenings for family bonding.
noununcountable
Activities or habits that help relatives feel closer to one another.
Grammar: Often used before another noun, as in 'family bonding activities' or 'family bonding time'.
Patterns
- family bonding activities
- family bonding time
Cooking together is one of their favorite family bonding activities.
The school organized a family bonding day for parents and children.
Common combinations
- family bonding time
- We protect Friday nights as family bonding time.
- family bonding activities
- Board games are cheap family bonding activities.
- encourage family bonding
- The program is designed to encourage family bonding.
- a chance for family bonding
- The holiday was a chance for family bonding.
- family bonding experience
- Camping was a real family bonding experience.
Synonyms and how they differ
- togetherness
- Togetherness means simply being close or together; family bonding stresses the process of making the relationship stronger.
- quality time
- Quality time is time spent with someone in a meaningful way, but it does not have to be with family.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: family bonding or bonding?
family bonding vs bonding
On its own, 'bonding' can also mean a dental treatment or a chemistry process; 'family bonding' always refers to relationships.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'family bonding' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Family bonding' is uncountable, so it takes a singular verb and no article or plural form. The other options treat it as a countable noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “family bonding”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.