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
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
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Recent Examples of relative
Reuters, NBC news, 5 Nov. 2025
The latter’s supporters pointed to the fact that the Scottish queen was a Catholic and was technically disqualified by the terms of Henry VIII’s will, which stated very clearly that his Stuart relatives should never inherit the crown of England.
—Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025
Denise Chow, NBC news, 5 Nov. 2025
Wall Street’s fear gauge, the CBOE Volatility Index, has signaled relative calm in markets for the majority of the past six months.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for relative
Noun
An Australian woman sentenced to life in prison for killing three relatives with a meal laced with toxic mushrooms has filed an appeal to overturn her conviction, according to court documents.
—Reuters, NBC news, 5 Nov. 2025
The latter’s supporters pointed to the fact that the Scottish queen was a Catholic and was technically disqualified by the terms of Henry VIII’s will, which stated very clearly that his Stuart relatives should never inherit the crown of England.
—Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
Isaacman, 42, is seen as a relative outsider to lead the space agency.
—Denise Chow, NBC news, 5 Nov. 2025
Wall Street’s fear gauge, the CBOE Volatility Index, has signaled relative calm in markets for the majority of the past six months.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for relative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relative
Noun
-
Dream and Tatum then shared an adorable moment as Dream hugged her younger cousin and held his hand.—
Kirsty Hatcher,
PEOPLE,
11 Nov. 2025
-
For starters, the Giants and Steelers are close NFL cousins with founding fathers who were among the league’s first guardians.—
Ian O'Connor,
New York Times,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Douglas Hofstadter, a professor of cognitive science and comparative literature at Indiana University, likes to say that cognition is recognition.—
James Somers,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Meanwhile, comparisons of transport modes highlight rail’s comparative advantage.—
Chelsea Haney
October 25,
New Atlas,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Cold weather-appropriate picks in shearling and suede remain relevant no matter the season.—
Cortne Bonilla,
Vogue,
9 Nov. 2025
-
The data can be sorted by legislative districts, school districts and counties to make the findings more relevant to different audiences.—
Matthew W. Kreuter,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The outcome could potentially have lasting ramifications for civil-military relations and the boundaries of presidential power under the Constitution, particularly during protest movements and domestic emergencies.—
Deputy News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
-
O’Neill could separate politics from personal relations.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
After an office romance begins, employee retention at the organization drops by six percentage points, meaning turnover is 14% greater than in comparable firms.—
Emily Nix,
Fortune,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Putting aside the visceral appeal of the reference to insider trading, are these allegations actually comparable to criminal insider trading in the securities regime?—
Samidh Guha,
ABC News,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
With over 35,000 monthly active users, the platform is designed to allow users to explore different ways of using their digital rewards, depending on availability and applicable guidelines.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Brandon Cwalina, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, which runs Medicaid in the state, said the state already requires every Medicaid applicant to verify their citizenship or, where applicable, their eligible immigration status.—
Kff Health News,
Denver Post,
6 Nov. 2025
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
Cite this Entry
“Relative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relative. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.
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