1
as in to bond
to form a close personal relationship
she and I relate so well it's almost like we're siblings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to describe
to give an oral or written account of in some detail
we asked our uncle to relate the story of his visit to communist Russia many years ago
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to pertain
to have a relation or connection
how does your comment relate to what the rest of us have been talking about for the last hour?
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to associate
to think of (something) in combination
most Americans probably relate tea to the United Kingdom and coffee to the U.S.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of relate
The box set is the fourth in the series of Zappa Records’ trick-or-treat-related releases, following 2017’s Halloween 77, 2019’s Halloween 73, and 2020’s Halloween 81.
—
Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
Marples especially suggested being in spaces with other women who can relate.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 9 Oct. 2025
The other problem was partner-related.
—Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Humanoid designs often face persistent challenges with walking stability, arm dexterity, and battery consumption, problems that are both software- and hardware-related.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for relate
Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
Marples especially suggested being in spaces with other women who can relate.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 9 Oct. 2025
The other problem was partner-related.
—Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Humanoid designs often face persistent challenges with walking stability, arm dexterity, and battery consumption, problems that are both software- and hardware-related.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for relate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relate
Verb
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Stressful experiences also can help people bond.—
Jennifer Borresen,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
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My Best Friend's Wedding was Preston’s first movie, and she and Roberts, 57, bonded over both being young actresses from Georgia.—
Victoria Edel,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Then layer the bulbs as described above, tossing organic fertilizer into the bottom of each layer to support root growth.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
13 Oct. 2025
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In response to a Star inquiry, the State Department confirmed Arrington’s role in obtaining the replica and described the former director as helpful and knowledgeable.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Chatbots are known to validate users’ obsessions and delusions, and most of the litigation around this phenomenon has so far pertained to self-harm, as in the suits Jain has brought against OpenAI and Character Technologies.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
11 Oct. 2025
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People from across all walks of life are asked around 50 questions pertaining to the economy, personal finances, job prospects, inflation expectations and the like.—
Joanne Hsu,
The Conversation,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Miller is navigating through the kinks, continuing to get acclimated with the taping of his wrist — something he’s been instructed to do — and working through the rust associated with not playing in an actual competitive game for nine months.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Oct. 2025
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That’s because, Vandover said, one of the biggest challenges associated with the programs is getting the word out.—
Chris Quintana,
USA Today,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Both sonnets offer the captive—and Cervantes—an opportunity to commemorate and mourn, to bear witness and to commune with the dead, at least for a bit.—
Ed Simon
September 22,
Literary Hub,
22 Sep. 2025
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The universally accessible All Persons Trail at Broadmoor winds through a hemlock forest to a boardwalk, where hikers may commune with wildlife on Pike’s Pond.—
Allison Tibaldi,
USA Today,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Debris that may be key evidence could be as small as a fingernail, experts told CNN, and might have been thrown miles away.—
Isabel Rosales,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
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Those last six words are telling.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This philosophy applies to business owners seeking to develop managers and leaders within their organizations.—
Joe Boylan,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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Their work could be a critical step toward the safe and rational decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi plant, and the technology could be applied to nuclear accident sites elsewhere in the world.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The body that mysteriously turned up in the landing gear of a plane at Charlotte Douglas International Airport has been identified as a 25-year-old originally from Guatemala, according to investigators.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Oct. 2025
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The essence of impartial justice is treating like conduct alike—not identifying the target and then finding the crime.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
12 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Relate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relate. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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