See Definition

relative 1 of 2

noun

See Dictionary Definition
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Thesaurus Entries Near relative

relationships

relative

relatively

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Relative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relative. Accessed 9 Dec. 2022.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on relative

Nglish: Translation of relative for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of relative for Arabic Speakers

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of expeditious

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Commonly Confused Words Quiz

  • vector image of a face with thought expression
  • I went to the ______ store to buy a birthday card.
Spell It

Hear a word and type it out. How many can you get right?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Universal Daily Crossword

A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games