relatable

adjective

re·​lat·​able ri-ˈlā-tə-bəl 

1

: able to be related

especially : able to be shown or established to have a causal or logical connection to something

Some of these linguistic simplifications are directly relatable to the loss of certain language functions …

—William A. Foley

2

US : able to be related to : possible to understand, like, or have sympathy for because of similarities to oneself or one's own experiences

a movie featuring strong but relatable characters

Thriftier threads can make high-rolling politicos and their wives seem more relatable.

—Roya Wolverson

relatability

ri-ˌlā-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

He also maintained an outsized relatability, as the kind of guy who seemed more at ease with commoners than with any media elite.

—Richard Hoffer

Examples of relatable in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For maybe the only time in her tumultuous years as the league’s commissioner, Cathy Engelbert was relatable. — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026

Young people want movies and TV shows that reflect their own lives and relatable issues, rather than more stories in the fantasy genre, according to last year’s annual Teens and Screens report from the Center for Scholars and Storytellers at UCLA. — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026

Audiences connect with authenticity over polish, making content feel more trustworthy, relatable and ultimately more persuasive. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Placing emphasis on affordable luxuries, such as matcha lattes, lip gloss, or birthday cake, is a way for Jenner to remain relatable to her audience, who are far more likely to be victims of the effects of economic uncertainty. — Sarah Glodek, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1720, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for relatable

• datable
• debatable
• inflatable
• locatable
• rotatable
• titratable
• translatable
• untranslatable