1
as in communes
to form a close personal relationship
she and I relate so well it's almost like we're siblings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in describes
to give an oral or written account of in some detail
we asked our uncle to relate the story of his visit to communist Russia many years ago
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in pertains
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 associates
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of relates
Considered narrowly, statesmanship relates primarily to politics and government.
—
John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
Antinous is the principal mortal antagonist in Homer’s Odyssey, which relates Odysseus’s difficulties while getting home and how Penelope and her son, Telemachus, struggled to maintain their authority on Ithaca.
—Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Mar. 2026
There’s a lovely little formula called the small-angle approximation that relates the two.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2026
But the story Sorkin relates is really all about the insiders, their privileged lives, their thoughts and actions.
—The Know, Denver Post, 11 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, the omniscient, just-the-facts-ma’am narration relates the days and times and events with an efficiency that speaks to us of the unstoppable nature of fate.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
The Fund has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates.
—Muyao Shen, Bloomberg, 30 Dec. 2025
Nest New York delivers on the sort of scent profile that relates holiday cheer with pomegranate, mandarin orange, pine, cloves, and cinnamon with a hint of vanilla and amber, and at 25% off.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 1 Dec. 2025
There is a buildup that the president has not explained in a way that relates solely to the actions that are currently going down in the Caribbean and with respect to the drug trade that the president has been discussing with Congress.
—CBS News, 30 Nov. 2025
John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
Antinous is the principal mortal antagonist in Homer’s Odyssey, which relates Odysseus’s difficulties while getting home and how Penelope and her son, Telemachus, struggled to maintain their authority on Ithaca.
—Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Mar. 2026
There’s a lovely little formula called the small-angle approximation that relates the two.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2026
But the story Sorkin relates is really all about the insiders, their privileged lives, their thoughts and actions.
—The Know, Denver Post, 11 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, the omniscient, just-the-facts-ma’am narration relates the days and times and events with an efficiency that speaks to us of the unstoppable nature of fate.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
The Fund has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates.
—Muyao Shen, Bloomberg, 30 Dec. 2025
Nest New York delivers on the sort of scent profile that relates holiday cheer with pomegranate, mandarin orange, pine, cloves, and cinnamon with a hint of vanilla and amber, and at 25% off.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 1 Dec. 2025
There is a buildup that the president has not explained in a way that relates solely to the actions that are currently going down in the Caribbean and with respect to the drug trade that the president has been discussing with Congress.
—CBS News, 30 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relates
Verb
-
Lynette Hooker's daughter, Karli Aylesworth, describes her mother as an experienced swimmer who has been sailing for more than 10 years.—
Cristian Benavides,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Raiff describes Ryan Coogler as his filmmaking idol and calls Coogler’s debut Fruitvale Station his favorite movie — but seeing the success of Sinners, a relatively commercial enterprise that won Coogler his first Oscar, opened his eyes in a new way.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Minnesota's lawsuit pertains to a bulk of the money stuck in deferral.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Family care pertains to children as well as helping aging parents.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Greene’s heart-to-heart media tour has been jarring liberals and anyone else who associates her with conspiratorial beliefs and outrageous comments.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
21 Nov. 2025
-
Everyone associates that with us.—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The architect ultimately bonds with — and quickly becomes attracted to — his friend’s wife (Pamela Gidley), and as the two of them pursue their passions together, secrets from the architect’s past and family bubble to the surface.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Tekton bonds the body together into a seamless, self-supporting monocoque optimized for thermal and leakproof integrity.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The poem tells the story of the seduction of a sixteen-year-old girl by the watermonster, a mythical figure, weaving together themes of place, identity, trauma, and transformation.—
Patrick Dundon,
JSTOR Daily,
9 Apr. 2026
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Meanwhile, carbs—the body’s primary energy source—increase your blood sugar, or blood glucose, and, in turn, trigger the pancreas to secrete insulin (a hormone that tells the body’s cells to absorb glucose to prevent an overload).—
Caroline Tien,
SELF,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The $5 discount for prepaid bags still applies.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The Sports Broadcasting Act exemption passed in 1961 applies only to broadcast television.—
Joe Reedy,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Epstein files released by the Justice Department contain a 2002 email exchange between Maxwell and a woman who identifies herself as Melania.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The collection also included SL-700 Technics turntables — items Hall identifies as sacred in Biz’s world.—
Preezy Brown,
Rolling Stone,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The first volume recounts Akbar’s ancestors’ history, particularly the lineage from the Turkic conqueror Timur to Babur.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The essay recounts his time in Hungary, presumably as a fellow with the Danube Institute, and attributes the weight loss to the country’s approach to food regulation.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Relates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relates. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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