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

People had always asked Bennett Greenspan whether he was related to the economist Alan Greenspan. —Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025

Traditionally, vehicle owners took their cars and trucks to dealerships, garages and other providers of service for such things as oil changes, tire rotation, battery replacement, and work related to recalls. —Bill Koenig, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025

Iowa City, Iowa — University of Iowa With 109 crimes per 10,000 residents, Iowa City faces challenges related to alcohol use, theft and occasional violent offenses. —Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2025

Disability Rights Wisconsin may lose funding for programs related to voting rights, employment, and education accommodations for people with disabilities. —Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 18 Aug. 2025

Rhymes for relate to

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