relate

1
as in to bond
to form a close personal relationship she and I relate so well it's almost like we're siblings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
3
as in to pertain
to have a relation or connection how does your comment relate to what the rest of us have been talking about for the last hour?

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in to associate
to think of (something) in combination most Americans probably relate tea to the United Kingdom and coffee to the U.S.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb relate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of relate are associate, combine, connect, join, link, and unite. While all these words mean "to bring or come together into some manner of union," relate suggests the existence of a real or presumed logical connection.

related what he observed to what he already knew

When can associate be used instead of relate?

The synonyms associate and relate are sometimes interchangeable, but associate stresses the mere fact of frequent occurrence or existence together in space or in logical relation.

opera is popularly associated with high society

When is combine a more appropriate choice than relate?

In some situations, the words combine and relate are roughly equivalent. However, combine implies some merging or mingling with corresponding loss of identity of each unit.

combined jazz and rock to create a new music

When could connect be used to replace relate?

Although the words connect and relate have much in common, connect suggests a loose or external attachment with little or no loss of identity.

a mutual defense treaty connected the two nations

When is it sensible to use join instead of relate?

While in some cases nearly identical to relate, join implies a bringing into contact or conjunction of any degree of closeness.

joined forces in an effort to win

When might link be a better fit than relate?

The words link and relate can be used in similar contexts, but link may imply strong connection or inseparability of elements still retaining identity.

a name forever linked with liberty

When would unite be a good substitute for relate?

The words unite and relate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, unite implies somewhat greater loss of separate identity.

the colonies united to form a republic

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 relate During the sketch, Thompson called out the fact that Darius and Murphy's Morgan, who wore a shimmery red jacket and a comically large gold medallion, seemed like they might be related. Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 17 Feb. 2025 Jennifer is a senior writer at Ars Technica with a particular focus on where science meets culture, covering everything from physics and related interdisciplinary topics to her favorite films and TV series. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 4 Feb. 2025 Some 2,500 miles across the country — on the southwest coast of California — a 22-year-old college athlete could relate. Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 24 Jan. 2025 There will be new storylines in Season 3 that don’t relate at all to anything in Season 2. Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 24 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for relate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relate
Verb
  • Since birth, Tucker has been backstage bonding with his mother Mara, who has given birth twice previously.
    Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2025
  • After Brosnahan took home her Emmy statuette in 2018, Malek eventually approached her at a New York City music festival to bond over their good fortune involving Sherman-Palladino.
    Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Some of your co-stars have described treacherous filming conditions in Thailand.
    Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Carr has multiple probes in progress, and his investigation into CBS over the editing of an interview with Kamala Harris has drawn condemnations from both liberal and conservative advocacy groups that describe it as a threat to the Constitutional right to free speech.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The refusal, which marked the first such rejection in 81 years, pertained to a special request from Mexico for the transfer of additional Colorado River water to the city of Tijuana.
    Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 29 Mar. 2025
  • However, Bullock also emphasized that the question should be more about whether one partner is withholding information and refusing to share access to something that pertains to the relationship.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • For the better half of the past decade, the 32-year-old Newburyport, Mass., native has been most closely associated with his role as the world's best babysitter, Steve Harrington, on Netflix's Stranger Things, a character who works at Family Video by day and fights demogorgons by night.
    EW.com, EW.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Similar to the way Mercury retrograde is often to blame for miscommunication and misunderstandings, Venus retrograde is associated with beauty, love and self-worth.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Though the place relies on solar power and lacks indoor plumbing, these minor inconveniences are a small price to pay for the chance to commune with the cosmos.
    Tim Nelson, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2025
  • The Frick is a temple of the tangible, where visitors can commune with materials largely missing from their ordinary lives: oil paint, brass, porcelain, damask, and old wood.
    Justin Davidson, Curbed, 25 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • One of the women surrendered her wedding ring, worth an estimated $7,000, and the robber told the victims to leave the area.
    Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Dotel was rescued from the rubble, officials told the outlet, but he was later mourned by the ministry.
    Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • In other words, the same asset that feels untouchable when trying to borrow from a bank suddenly becomes fully visible when applying for student aid.
    Ilona Limonta-Volkova, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • The fashion house’s artisans began experimenting with the material—which is extremely lightweight, strong, and pliable—and eventually created handles out of them by gently bending the stalks with fire and then applying many coats of lacquer.
    Diana Budds, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • But women can reduce the risk of online abuse by removing personal data from the internet: Searching their name on Google and identifying which sites have their personal data.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Those individuals have been identified as Andrew Madrid, 16, Jason Gomez, 18, and Dominick Estrada, 19.
    Bailey Richards, People.com, 23 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Relate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relate. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

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