1
as in interaction
doings between individuals or groups
relations between the rival newspapers remained friendly despite their competition for the same stories
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sex
sexual union involving penetration of the vagina by the penis
a law that prohibits relations between close relatives
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of relations
By then, Iran had managed to improve relations with several neighbors.
—
Abbas Al Lawati, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026
That year, employees at Alphabet's Google protested the Pentagon's use of the company's AI to analyze drone footage, straining relations between Silicon Valley and Washington.
—Andrea Shalal, USA Today, 28 Feb. 2026
Last August, Australia cut off diplomatic relations with Iran and expelled its ambassador after accusing it of orchestrating two antisemitic attacks in the country.
—Claudia Ciobanu, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Jay Horwitz is set to begin his 47th year with Mets, 38 in public relations and nine in alumni relations.
—New York Daily News, 28 Feb. 2026
The rest concerns prosaic matters of marital and family relations, commercial transactions, and ritual.
—Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
When that business went bad during the Depression, our branch of the family became the poor relations.
—CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
Advertisement But relations have turned cold and conflict has run hot since then.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
But then, so did Cory Little, the head of Rockies media relations, and so did Schaeffer.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 27 Feb. 2026
Abbas Al Lawati, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026
That year, employees at Alphabet's Google protested the Pentagon's use of the company's AI to analyze drone footage, straining relations between Silicon Valley and Washington.
—Andrea Shalal, USA Today, 28 Feb. 2026
Last August, Australia cut off diplomatic relations with Iran and expelled its ambassador after accusing it of orchestrating two antisemitic attacks in the country.
—Claudia Ciobanu, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Jay Horwitz is set to begin his 47th year with Mets, 38 in public relations and nine in alumni relations.
—New York Daily News, 28 Feb. 2026
The rest concerns prosaic matters of marital and family relations, commercial transactions, and ritual.
—Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
When that business went bad during the Depression, our branch of the family became the poor relations.
—CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
Advertisement But relations have turned cold and conflict has run hot since then.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
But then, so did Cory Little, the head of Rockies media relations, and so did Schaeffer.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 27 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relations
Noun
-
Warm social vibes are in the air today promoting cozy interactions with others.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
28 Feb. 2026
-
And a most welcome reminder that human interactions are still the best.—
Amy Lindgren,
Twin Cities,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The findings, from 1,592 U.S. citizens of different ages, sexes, races and incomes, were collected between Dec. 20 and Dec. 22.—
Nicholas Rice,
PEOPLE,
28 Dec. 2025
-
On his first day in office, Mr. Trump signed an executive order that declared the federal government would recognize only two immutable sexes: male and female.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Some speculation has existed about whether the basic physiological processes necessary for intercourse, particularly for men, might be compromised by microgravity.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Feb. 2026
-
On top of that, one of Colvin’s classmates, Jeremiah Reeves, had recently been arrested for having intercourse with a white woman.—
Essence,
Essence,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This year, with a bumper crop of the strange parrot’s favorite berries prompting a rare enthusiasm for mating, those working to save the birds hope for a record number of chicks in February, which would move the kakapo closer to defying what was not long ago believed to be certain extinction.—
Charlotte Graham-McLay,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
-
There’s a courtship, then a mating, and then the pair raise their offspring.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Relations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relations. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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