relate to

phrasal verb

related to; relating to; relates to

: to connect (something) with (something else)

Few of the people who became sick related their symptoms to the food they'd eaten the day before.

: to understand and like or have sympathy for (someone or something)

I can relate to your feelings.

I've never been able to relate to him very well.

He writes songs that people can really relate to.

—used to describe how someone talks to or behaves toward (someone else)

How a child relates to her teacher can affect her education.

: to be connected with (someone or something) : to be about (someone or something)

The readings relate to the class discussions.

—often used as (be) related to

The exam questions are directly related to the readings.

Examples of relate to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Your work frequently engages with themes related to nature, landscapes and the tropics. —

Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024 Since 2004, records show several cases related to a custody dispute and a child support dispute. —

Monika Pronczuk, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2024 The Poynter Institute in Florida, related to the St. Petersburg Times (now the Tampa Bay Times) pioneered Politifact several election cycles ago. —

Ron Elving, NPR, 14 Sep. 2024 Your ambition is strong; however, something unexpected related to taxes, inheritances or the wealth of someone else might surprise you. —

Georgia Nicols, The Denver Post, 13 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for relate to

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'relate to.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.