relative 1 of 2

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

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
After he was arrested in the woods near the club and taken into custody, Meuse told police that he’d been invited to the party by a relative despite on-going conflicts with some of the other attendees. Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 27 Jan. 2026 So many people had been arrested that a major police station was allocated for families seeking missing relatives. Davood Moradian, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Ye released the statement in advance of a forthcoming album, Bully, which is expected to be released soon, and which follows nearly a year of relative silence. Anna Peele, Vanity Fair, 27 Jan. 2026 Behind Staubach, Dallas cruised through the playoffs with relative ease and throttled Miami in the Super Bowl, capturing the first championship in team history. R.j. Coyle, Dallas Morning News, 27 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for relative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relative
Noun
  • For the foreseeable future, rap’s crown now resides in the West, where Kendrick’s focus this year will be presumably on his cousin and pgLang labelmate Baby Keem.
    Angel Diaz, Billboard, 27 Jan. 2026
  • This creates the tip of the iceberg of the film’s most audacious idea — that the musical, which is set to feature Meg’s cousin in the role of the shooter, might actually want to explore what was going on inside him.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Research shows that people often engage in what psychologists call comparative guilt.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
  • Thanks to audio production’s lower costs and comparative simplicity, once Williams and Storrie signed on, things moved quickly.
    Kase Wickman, Vanity Fair, 21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Cisco, for example, pivoted its business to stay relevant, according to Pagda.
    Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026
  • To that end, Allen framed the trio as genuine fans of the beer, that also reach cultural touchpoints (sports, music, comedy) that are relevant to the brand as well.
    Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Diplomatic relations between the two countries collapsed in 2019.
    MICHELLE L. PRICE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, Arkansas Online, 30 Jan. 2026
  • The awkward position the company found itself in highlights the challenges Hong Kong business elites face in navigating Beijing’s expectations of national loyalty, especially when relations between China and the United States are strained.
    Alma Solís, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • In a comparable case in the United States in 2023, a federal judge imposed $5,000 fines on two lawyers and a law firm after ChatGPT was blamed for their submission of fictitious legal research in an aviation injury claim.
    CBS News, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
  • At the center of this movement is OpenAI, led by Sam Altman, whose generative AI models represent a general-purpose capability—comparable to the steam engine or electric motor—that can amplify nearly every form of knowledge work.
    Phil Kafarakis, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • This is where our downturn resilience framework is applicable.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
  • Below is a running list of restaurants and bars we've been told are open, along with their adjusted hours, if applicable.
    Matthew Odam, Austin American Statesman, 26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • That also means its almost time for clocks to fall back.
    Dina Kaur, AZCentral.com, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Orange County has paid more than $39 million worth of settlements in the almost year since the Airport fire broke out and destroyed more than 100 structures, according to county officials.
    Michael Slaten, Oc Register, 20 Aug. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Relative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relative. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on relative

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!