relate

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
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

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb relate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of relate are associate, combine, connect, join, link, and unite. While all these words mean "to bring or come together into some manner of union," relate suggests the existence of a real or presumed logical connection.

related what he observed to what he already knew

When can associate be used instead of relate?

The synonyms associate and relate are sometimes interchangeable, but associate stresses the mere fact of frequent occurrence or existence together in space or in logical relation.

opera is popularly associated with high society

When is combine a more appropriate choice than relate?

In some situations, the words combine and relate are roughly equivalent. However, combine implies some merging or mingling with corresponding loss of identity of each unit.

combined jazz and rock to create a new music

When could connect be used to replace relate?

Although the words connect and relate have much in common, connect suggests a loose or external attachment with little or no loss of identity.

a mutual defense treaty connected the two nations

When is it sensible to use join instead of relate?

While in some cases nearly identical to relate, join implies a bringing into contact or conjunction of any degree of closeness.

joined forces in an effort to win

When might link be a better fit than relate?

The words link and relate can be used in similar contexts, but link may imply strong connection or inseparability of elements still retaining identity.

a name forever linked with liberty

When would unite be a good substitute for relate?

The words unite and relate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, unite implies somewhat greater loss of separate identity.

the colonies united to form a republic

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of relate Is this all a big Easter egg for something Showgirl-related? Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2025 It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount. Stephanie Wenger, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025 These two things may be related. Ryan Ford, Freep.com, 15 Sep. 2025 The change did not look to be injury-related, with Slot instead appearing to err on the side of caution. Andy Jones, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for relate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relate
Verb
  • On Mars, the Perseverance rover recently found organic compounds — molecules that contain carbon, typically bonded to hydrogen — leading some to speculate that the findings may amount to signs of past life.
    Dirk Schulze-Makuch, Big Think, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Estimates suggest that the 1776 Continental Navy had a mere 64 ships, compared to 1,697 licensed and bonded privateer vessels.
    Rick Bennett, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • More importantly, Penske also describes this dynamic as antitrust behavior from a company abusing what the federal government has already described as Google’s monopoly status in the realm of Internet search.
    Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Three people present described the manner of the two strangers as detached and off-putting, and said their story just did not add up.
    Denver Nicks, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Across the eastern Baltic states (an area pertaining to modern-day Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania), there are even more examples of broken tools in Stone Age burials.
    Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The list pertains to jerseys officially licensed by the NFL Players Association.
    Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The lifting of some regulatory burdens on businesses does not mean that the risk associated with dangerous work will disappear, or that companies should stop protecting employees from death and injuries.
    Edward Segal, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Some tracks were also observed near the Apollo 17 landing site and areas associated with seismic activity or tectonic features, indicating that moonquakes or impacts may trigger the boulder falls.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Harkawik Barbour seems to commune with color itself.
    Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
  • People were going out to commune and be around other people.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • An allied assertion is that if AI generates foul code, tell the AI to get its act together and fix the darned stuff.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Carlson asked the state’s environmental agency about the protocol for discontinuing treatment and was told to keep the state posted.
    Anna Clark, ProPublica, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The Goldilocks principle applies to ensuring that the soup is not too hot and not too cold.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Regional restrictions may apply.
    Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The suspect in the shooting, identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was arrested on Friday night after his father recognized him from surveillance images and video released by investigators, authorities said.
    Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Some of the information inadvertently made public in this way included names and email addresses, meaning the participants of the chat could be identified.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Relate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relate. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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