relate to

phrasal verb

related to; relating to; relates to

1

: to connect (something) with (something else)

Few of the people who became sick related their symptoms to the food they'd eaten the day before.

2

: to understand and like or have sympathy for (someone or something)

I can relate to your feelings.

I've never been able to relate to him very well.

He writes songs that people can really relate to.

3

—used to describe how someone talks to or behaves toward (someone else)

How a child relates to her teacher can affect her education.

4

: to be connected with (someone or something) : to be about (someone or something)

The readings relate to the class discussions.

—often used as (be) related to

The exam questions are directly related to the readings.

Examples of relate to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Lincoln Park resident Michael McKee is expected in court tomorrow related to the killing of his ex-wife and her current husband inside their Columbus, Ohio, home. —Sara MacHi, CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026

The incident, which occurred at a south Phoenix home, appeared to be over a dispute relating to a breakup, ABC 15 and AZ Family reported, citing court documents, as well as family and witness testimonies. —Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026

Minnesota prosecutors launched an online portal for residents to submit evidence related to the shooting in Minneapolis, vowing to probe the incident. —Michael Loria, USA Today, 11 Jan. 2026

Powell confirmed in an unusual direct video statement Sunday evening that federal prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation related to his Senate Banking Committee testimony on the renovation of Fed office buildings. —John Melloy,yun Li, CNBC, 11 Jan. 2026

Rhymes for relate to

• hullabaloo
• accrue
• ado
• ainu
• aircrew
• airscrew
• anew
• askew
• baboo
• babu
• bamboo
• beaucoup