correlation
noun
cor·re·la·tion
ˌkȯr-ə-ˈlā-shən 
ˌkär-
1
: the state or relation of being correlated
specifically
: a relation existing between phenomena or things or between mathematical or statistical variables which tend to vary, be associated, or occur together in a way not expected on the basis of chance alone
… the obviously high positive correlation between scholastic aptitude and college entrance … —
James B. Conant
James B. Conant 2
: the act of correlating
Examples of correlation in a Sentence
the correlation of brain size and intelligence
Researchers have found a direct correlation between smoking and lung cancer.
She says that there's no correlation between being thin and being happy.
Recent Examples on the Web
Climate researchers suggest that such a model could significantly reduce carbon emissions by creating a more direct correlation between passenger weight and fuel consumption.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 21 Feb. 2025
There may be such a correlation between cost and quality with cars and electronic products, but that is far from the case in healthcare.
—Suzanne Blake, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025
The firm screened for quality cyclical names, specifically those with high cash flow return on investment, correlation to PMI, earnings momentum and free cash flow yield.
—Sean Conlon, CNBC, 19 Feb. 2025
With a close correlation between domestic violence and animal abuse, shelters should ensure that people adopting animals are thoroughly investigated to determine possible threats to the creatures’ safety.
—Anna-Jae Clarke, Hartford Courant, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for correlation
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Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 21 Feb. 2025
There may be such a correlation between cost and quality with cars and electronic products, but that is far from the case in healthcare.
—Suzanne Blake, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025
The firm screened for quality cyclical names, specifically those with high cash flow return on investment, correlation to PMI, earnings momentum and free cash flow yield.
—Sean Conlon, CNBC, 19 Feb. 2025
With a close correlation between domestic violence and animal abuse, shelters should ensure that people adopting animals are thoroughly investigated to determine possible threats to the creatures’ safety.
—Anna-Jae Clarke, Hartford Courant, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for correlation
Cite this Entry
“Correlation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/correlation. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
correlation
noun
cor·re·la·tion
ˌkȯr-ə-ˈlā-shən
ˌkär-
1
: the act or process of correlating
2
: the state of being correlated
especially
: a mutual relation discovered to exist between things
the correlation between smoking and lung cancer
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