Which phrase has a more negative connotation?
a clique a club
Connotation is the feeling or idea that goes along with a word or phrase. Some words are close in meaning but have different connotations.
For example, think about the words eager and impatient. They both mean wanting something to happen, but they have different connotations.
Eager has a positive connotation. It is a nice word. An eager person is happy and excited.
Impatient has a negative connotation. It is not a nice word. An impatient person is often pushy and demanding.
A clique has a more negative connotation. Clique and club both denote a group. However, clique suggests that the group excludes or is unfriendly to others, while club suggests that the group is organized around shared interests.