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
1
as in comparative
being such only when compared to something else
after being crammed into a one-bedroom apartment, they lived in relative comfort in a two-bedroom house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in relevant
having to do with the matter at hand
I don't need the whole story, just the details that are relative to the case
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of relative
Pete Sampson, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
Anderson was estranged from most of her siblings and other relatives.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 10 Sep. 2025
C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
Health Care, Consumer Staple, and Transports are still closer to lows after failing to sustain any relative recovery.
—Randy Watts, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for relative
Noun
That wasn’t any relative of Rees, who played quarterback for the Irish from 2010 to 2013 before returning as an assistant coach.
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
Anderson was estranged from most of her siblings and other relatives.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Maxwell pitched a scoreless, and then Connor Phillips, a relative veteran with 18 big-league appearances on his resume, worked around a walk to retire the top of the Padres’ order and earned the win following Tyler Stephenson’s homer.
—C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
Health Care, Consumer Staple, and Transports are still closer to lows after failing to sustain any relative recovery.
—Randy Watts, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for relative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relative
Noun
-
Lepkowski described her cousin's ex as possessive, controlling and physically abusive.—
Nushrat Rahman,
Freep.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
McKinsey’s Global Survey similarly emphasizes that organizations tracking gen‑AI KPIs outperform cousins still focusing on proofs-of-concept.—
Ian Amit,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
When paired with comparative outcomes data, such as Lilly’s demonstration of efficacy versus competitors, DTC models can introduce real competition into a sector often shielded from consumer market dynamics.—
Rita Numerof,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Researchers analyzed 94 primate species, both living and extinct, using a Bayesian phylogenetic comparative approach.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Provide your full legal name, date of birth and other relevant account info to confirm your identity.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Each captured a way of thinking about venture investing that was practical, deeply personal, and relevant to how family offices are reshaping their role in the ecosystem.—
Francois Botha,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The attack underlined growing pessimism in Ukraine and among allies that the war can be ended any time soon, with Russian President Vladimir Putin resisting calls for a ceasefire and emboldened by strengthening relations with China.—
Lidia Kelly,
USA Today,
7 Sep. 2025
-
The arrests also raised alarm in Seoul, further complicating tense US-South Korea relations over investments agreed to in their trade deal, the Financial Times reported.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Israeli F-15s had no comparable missile to the Phoenix at that time.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Neither quarterback lit the world on fire as a rookie, though Maye posted comparable -- if not better -- stats to Williams with less playing time.—
Michael Hurley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Breakups are not universally applicable.—
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
The findings may also not be fully applicable to the broader public, given that all study participants were older European adults.—
Brian Mastroianni,
Health,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
Despite arguably kicking off the trend of internet shutdowns a decade ago with an almost year-long blackout in the western province of Xinjiang, China is not a frequent offender.—
James Griffiths,
CNN,
9 Jan. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Relative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relative. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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