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
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Recent Examples of relating
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
Feeling withdrawn from relating?
—Usa Today, USA Today, 29 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
This is a time which reminds us that relating is a skill.
—Colin Bedell, Them., 16 Dec. 2025
The Humane Society of Huron Valley made that announcement on Friday, relating the story of Sugar the kitten and the animal abuse investigation reported in fall of 2024 in Ypsilanti.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 13 Dec. 2025
First, by illustrating how a tragedy changed forever the lives of Agnes (Jessie Buckley) and William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal), and second, relating how that devastating event served as the cathartic inspiration for one of the most legendary dramatic works of all time.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2025
On expedition, the hunter who joined me on polar bear watch was relating a story from his grandfather who told him the telling sign of narwhal appearance.
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
Richard P. Weigand, Rolling Stone, 30 Jan. 2026
Feeling withdrawn from relating?
—Usa Today, USA Today, 29 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
This is a time which reminds us that relating is a skill.
—Colin Bedell, Them., 16 Dec. 2025
The Humane Society of Huron Valley made that announcement on Friday, relating the story of Sugar the kitten and the animal abuse investigation reported in fall of 2024 in Ypsilanti.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 13 Dec. 2025
First, by illustrating how a tragedy changed forever the lives of Agnes (Jessie Buckley) and William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal), and second, relating how that devastating event served as the cathartic inspiration for one of the most legendary dramatic works of all time.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2025
On expedition, the hunter who joined me on polar bear watch was relating a story from his grandfather who told him the telling sign of narwhal appearance.
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relating
Verb
-
From Jesus to Wordsworth, people wandered into the wilderness in hopes of communing with a greater power, to be forced to confront their truest selves.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Even the film’s central idea of a child communing with giant, surreal automatons — such a eerily resonant image, recalling James Whale’s original Frankenstein — is ultimately a nonstarter.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
5 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Austin, 13, can be heard calmly describing the situation and asking for a helicopter to search for his mother and two siblings in a recording released by the Western Australia Police Force on Wednesday.—
Jack Guy,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The other agents in the car continued to lie when describing the circumstances of the shooting to the FBI, including in a diagram that purported to show three cars in front of the agents’ Tahoe blocking them from moving forward.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Two bills pertaining to firing squad executions for death row inmates won’t advance further this session unless the authors propose them as amendments to other bills.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2026
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As Landfair details in the book for the first time, the years between 2002 – when Kelly was arrested on a 21-count indictment pertaining to child pornography charges – and his 2008 acquittal were spent under a fog, with Kelly keeping Landfair under his thumb even more than before.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This rhetoric is employed to justify the state taking life, by associating the dead with national villainy.—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
26 Jan. 2026
-
This result is likely because of stereotypes associating Asian American students with higher GPAs and Black students with lower GPAs.—
Kenji Yoshino,
Mercury News,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That led to Chiefs and Patriots fans bonding on X (formerly Twitter) about their dislike of Bills Mafia.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
-
But through that collective trauma comes bonding.—
Ishmael Johnson,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Chinese government reacted by telling Chinese citizens not to travel to Japan, threatening economic retaliation, and pulling the plug on meetings that were long planned, putting a pretty deep freeze on China-Japan relations.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
-
After initially telling students and staff to stay indoors, Arlington ISD is now saying that folks are safe to go outside.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Newton will be restricted from rejoining the department or even applying for private security license that is authorized by the Board of Police Commissioners.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
-
That includes explaining decisions clearly in open court, applying the law impartially, and upholding the highest standards of judicial ethics.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The announcement by Mohsin Naqvi came a day after a regional affiliate of the Islamic State group, identifying itself as Islamic State in Pakistan, claimed responsibility in a statement carried by its Amaq News Agency.—
MUNIR AHMED,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
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The mistake people outside the fungi community or beginners make when identifying mushrooms is solely relying on social media, a field guide or an app like iNaturalist, said Bob Cummings, a leading mycology expert in Santa Barbara.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Relating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relating. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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