1
as in communing
to form a close personal relationship
she and I relate so well it's almost like we're siblings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in describing
to give an oral or written account of in some detail
we asked our uncle to relate the story of his visit to communist Russia many years ago
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in pertaining
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 associating
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
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 relating
The young players seem to like how Harbaugh is teaching and relating, too.
—
Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
Some of them are old systems of knowledge, ways of relating the body to fertility, death, and survival.
—George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
The Pisces new moon creates opportunities for fulfillment through relating.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
In relating her story this way, Gisèle is restoring to the record her waking life.
—Gaby Wood, Vogue, 21 Feb. 2026
Morello himself serves as kind of a guide in the film, relating his own love of metal growing up as a Black kid in a conservative, ethnically homogeneous suburb of Chicago.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Feb. 2026
The collision of opposing perspectives forges art that challenges and confronts, that forces us out of familiar ways of thinking, relating and being.
—Richard P. Weigand, Rolling Stone, 30 Jan. 2026
Reps for both Harry and the King said that the pair met for tea at Clarence House, relating afterwards that no other details would be shared.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
Even the oldest maxim about cab drivers and bell hops giving share prices was tested by relating an anecdote about comments in his village pub from locals and complete strangers firing questions at him and a fellow gold trader about the gold price.
—Tim Treadgold, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
Some of them are old systems of knowledge, ways of relating the body to fertility, death, and survival.
—George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
The Pisces new moon creates opportunities for fulfillment through relating.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
In relating her story this way, Gisèle is restoring to the record her waking life.
—Gaby Wood, Vogue, 21 Feb. 2026
Morello himself serves as kind of a guide in the film, relating his own love of metal growing up as a Black kid in a conservative, ethnically homogeneous suburb of Chicago.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Feb. 2026
The collision of opposing perspectives forges art that challenges and confronts, that forces us out of familiar ways of thinking, relating and being.
—Richard P. Weigand, Rolling Stone, 30 Jan. 2026
Reps for both Harry and the King said that the pair met for tea at Clarence House, relating afterwards that no other details would be shared.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
Even the oldest maxim about cab drivers and bell hops giving share prices was tested by relating an anecdote about comments in his village pub from locals and complete strangers firing questions at him and a fellow gold trader about the gold price.
—Tim Treadgold, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relating
Verb
-
The team were meek in defeat, but after a weekend carousing and communing in central London, Newcastle fans arrived at Wembley with a collective hangover.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Jefferson Airplane communing in the Haight.—
Joe Hagan,
Vanity Fair,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Shoppers rave that the arm openings truly stand out, describing them as notably flattering and well-designed, without any awkward gaps.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
20 May 2026
-
Ahead of the wedding, Ptak got plenty of attention as the official wedding-cake baker from America, with reports describing her childhood in the small Marin County town of Inverness, next door to Point Reyes National Seashore.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Court records reveal violent details pertaining to Kayla’s disappearance and death.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
19 May 2026
-
Also, according to sources familiar with the upcoming bipartisan legislation, there would be a governing body enacted to provide clear guidance on rules pertaining to the potential changes coming, with college administrators being in agreement on how they are enforced.—
Trey Wallace,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
As a brand built on ethical fashion on a mission to improve the industry, Everlane—and its CEO—has sold its soul to the devil by associating itself with one (if not the) most polluting fast-fashion player in the world.—
Clara Ludmir,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
For background, the usual race idolaters expressed fierce outrage over Clark associating with Wallen, who once used a racial slur in 2021.—
Bobby Burack OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Postpartum depression, per Mayo Clinic, includes symptoms such as depressed mood, difficulty bonding with your baby, changes in appetite, intense irritability and more.—
Raven Brunner,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
-
Tab fees, bonding The House and Senate also passed a $254 million reduction in vehicle tab fees in 2027 and a bonding bill with a heavy focus on water treatment projects.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
While in the clinic, behind the gee-wizardry of the modern diagnostics and next-generation medications, the practice of endocrinology remains rooted in one person telling their story and the other trying to interpret it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
Her boyfriend, who had cuts to his arms and face, called 911, telling dispatch that someone had dropped a rock from the overpass.—
Nick Ferraro,
Twin Cities,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
The scientists can use this to safely experiment with new materials and printing techniques before applying them in factories.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
22 May 2026
-
Sometimes applying a furniture-grade oil over the whole surface can camouflage grease stains.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Furthermore, the experts are working on identifying other features in cosmological data that would point to complex shapes for the universe.—
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
23 May 2026
-
The first step is noticing your own reactivity threshold by identifying the precise moment when a partner’s tone, silence or phrasing triggers a flood of feeling that then drives your behavior.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Relating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relating. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
