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
The early loss of their mothers, Vernice to murder and Annie to abandonment, left the girls in the care of various relatives, growing up during the Jim Crow era. Diya Chacko, Oc Register, 11 Mar. 2026 At home, those of us without relatives doing the fighting mainly feel the effects of the war at the pump — oil prices have topped $100 per barrel as a disruption affecting roughly 20% of global oil supply ripples through energy markets — but otherwise our days here carry on much as normal. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
In other words, while relative prices increased, overall inflation remained relatively moderate. Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026 The ⁠New York Fed survey also found relative calm on the hiring front during February. Michael S. Derby, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for relative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relative
Noun
  • Another carrot cousin is giant hogweed, which has enormous blooms that look a bit like Queen Anne's lace on steroids.
    Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2026
  • The moodier cousin to the Courbe, the Onirique table lamp in alabaster gestures to Gilded Age interiors, opulent libraries, and museum lobbies.
    Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Defenders of the new classics—with its incorporation of race, gender, pop culture, and comparative frameworks—see it as a more faithful representation of antiquity itself.
    Chang Che, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Because each target was observed by multiple sensors at multiple altitudes, researchers will be able to conduct comparative analyses of individual sensors versus combined sensing approaches.
    Sagar Lekhak, The Conversation, 5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • But Anthropic said the relevant supply chain law limited the scope of the Pentagon’s designation.
    Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026
  • But Amodei said the relevant statute, 10 USC 3252, applies only to direct use of Claude within specific Department of War contracts rather than all use of Claude by companies that happen to hold such contracts.
    Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • And the front lines of the public relation war are a glamorous cadre of high profile influencers based there.
    Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026
  • The United States and Venezuela agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations in a major shift in a historically adversarial relationship, the State Department said on Thursday.
    CBS News, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The office has long handled discrimination cases in areas like housing and employment, but students don’t have a comparable option to file complaints.
    Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Already, in head-to-head diagnostic comparisons, generative AI performs at levels comparable to human clinicians.
    Robert Pearl, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The Downey Fire Department rescue vehicle that responded was not equipped with a Tremco anti-theft locking device required under state law and applicable Fire Department standards, the family’s attorneys argue.
    Cierra Morgan, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Under the law applicable to dependent administrations, the home-builder was required to commence a lawsuit in the court of original probate jurisdiction in which the estate was pending within 90 days after the rejection date, or its claim would be barred.
    Virginia Hammerle, Dallas Morning News, 8 Mar. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Relative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relative. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.

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