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
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
Paul Larosa, CBS News, 3 May 2026
Coatimundis, small relatives of raccoons, are rarely seen this far north and are more common in South America, Central America and parts of Arizona, New Mexico and South Texas.
—Jj Velasquez, San Antonio Express-News, 3 May 2026
Ben Smith, semafor.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Neill had reprised his role as Grant in the 2022 movie alongside his original co-stars Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum as well as relative newcomers to the franchise Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for relative
Noun
That's when prosecutor Greg Greer says law enforcement tracked his phone to Humboldt County, in northern California, where Rickman turned up drunk at a relative's house.
—Paul Larosa, CBS News, 3 May 2026
Coatimundis, small relatives of raccoons, are rarely seen this far north and are more common in South America, Central America and parts of Arizona, New Mexico and South Texas.
—Jj Velasquez, San Antonio Express-News, 3 May 2026
Adjective
Washington insiders of various categories would really love to return to the relative normalcy suggested by a Marco Rubio presidency.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Neill had reprised his role as Grant in the 2022 movie alongside his original co-stars Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum as well as relative newcomers to the franchise Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for relative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relative
Noun
-
That same year Cindy's cousin testified before the Florida Legislature about the Death Penalty Reform Act, which in part sought to speed up executions to be carried out within five years of an inmate's conviction.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The cousin and his wife were notified about his death.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But according to Hisham Hussein, head of the Central Department for Maritime Antiquities and Sinai and supervisor of the excavation, ongoing excavation and comparative studies have changed their understanding of the site.—
Anne Doran,
ARTnews.com,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Under California’s pure comparative negligence rule, the resulting recovery would be $90,000.—
William Jones,
Sacbee.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The State Department advised any American with significant child support debt to contact the relevant state agency and arrange payment before any passport action is taken.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
-
As a result, Scentbird surfaces both familiar favorites and new niche discoveries in a way that feels intuitive, relevant and continuously curated, driving deeper engagement and long-term loyalty.—
Fairchild Studio,
Footwear News,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
The organization builds its operational structure through thorough case development and direct client relations, and its readiness to pursue litigation whenever required.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
The law should go into effect this month, helping to fulfill President Emmanuel Macron’s 2017 promise of returning African heritage to the continent, with the hope of bolstering diplomatic relations with France’s former colonies.—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
In January, the FCC issued new guidance over the equal time rule, which requires broadcasters that feature a political candidate on their airwaves offer comparable time to rivals, if it is requested.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
11 May 2026
-
Morgan Rielly, the high-end comparable Drance found for Buium, is also a key comparable according to Buium’s current Net Rating profile.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Wellness initiatives—which are covered by health insurance, when applicable—to improve nutrition and exercise and that teach skills around stress management and sleep will be key to helping women manage their menopause symptoms more effectively.—
Shirley Velasquez,
Flow Space,
11 May 2026
-
Both groups’ standards include conserving water, wildlife and biodiversity as well as compliance with applicable forestry laws to keep ecosystems healthy.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 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
Cite this Entry
“Relative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relative. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
