relative 1 of 2

noun

ˈre-lə-tiv How to pronounce relative (audio)
Definition of relativenext
as in cousin
a person connected with another by blood or marriage it's always fun to see all your relatives at a big family gathering

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

relative

2 of 2

adjective

1
as in comparative
being such only when compared to something else after being crammed into a one-bedroom apartment, they lived in relative comfort in a two-bedroom house

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in relevant
having to do with the matter at hand I don't need the whole story, just the details that are relative to the case

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 relative
Noun
Kia's Sportage is a close cousin to the Tucson and has near-identical performance specs to its South Korean relative. — Charles Singh, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 Not long after, Bianca moved 500 miles across Texas to the city of Odessa, hoping to reconcile with their mother and reconnect with their maternal relatives. — Dateline Nbc, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026
Adjective
This is probably the most unsettled aspect of the team at the start of training camp, which is still relative. — Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2026 Next, Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian has his eyes on the relative lack of corporate sponsors for female fighters. — Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for relative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relative
  1. cousin
  2. comparative
  3. relevant
  4. relation
  5. comparable
  6. applicable
  7. almost
Noun
  • Albandari bin Ibrahim, a local, remembers when AlUla had a handful of sit-down restaurants, several of which were owned by her cousin.
    — Ruby Tandoh, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
  • However, only Atef Najib, Assad’s cousin, a security chief infamous for his brutality, is likely to face execution, the rest having been tried in absentia.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of cousin
Adjective
  • Everything gets filtered through target demographics, pitch decks, and comparative commercial comps.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The Triple Split was the first, and remains the only, split-second chronograph in the world that can measure intermediate, comparative, and total times of events for as long as 12 hours.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of comparative
Adjective
  • Any charity work the couple undertakes will be carried out in a private capacity, and operational security decisions are matters for the relevant police agencies, the letter adds.
    — Danica Kirka, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • This combination is particularly relevant for aerospace and rail applications, where gaining recyclability at the expense of fire performance would be a rather poor trade.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of relevant
Noun
  • Why do the Browns continue to have avoidable public-relations blunders?
    — Zac Jackson, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The Associated Press BRUSSELS -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled on Monday a 200-million-euro ($232 million) investment package for Greenland, as the European Union seeks to boost its relations with the vast island.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of relation
Adjective
  • But with the important exception of Somalia and large parts of West Africa, jihadi groups have not managed a mobilization comparable with the ones after the 2003 Iraq War or during the rise of the Islamic State.
    — Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Ministerial salaries had increasingly fallen behind comparable earnings in the private sector and civil service, making a review necessary, Wong said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of comparable
Adjective
  • David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Hagerman, the hair stylist in Oklahoma City, finds that explanation applicable to her life.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The company’s Better Business Bureau (BBB) page now redirects to Rocket Mortgage, so reviews are no longer applicable for the marketplace.
    — Dan Simms, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of applicable
Adjective
  • The Chiefs have long been the prototypical contender, the Steelers the paragon of the almost contenders … and the Jets, Browns and Raiders are usually in the third bucket.
    — Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 8 May 2026
  • That also means its almost time for clocks to fall back.
    — Dina Kaur, AZCentral.com, 25 Oct. 2025
Definition of almost

Browse Nearby Words

relationships
relative
relatively
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Relative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relative. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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