unrelated
Britishadjective
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not connected or associated
an unrelated incident
-
not connected by kinship or marriage
Explanation
Unrelated is a good way to describe things that aren't connected or linked in any way. You might insist that your dented car bumper is unrelated to your neighbor's smashed mailbox. Things that have no connection are unrelated: your excellent test grade is unrelated to the shoes your wore on the day you took it, and your inability remember the name of the movie you just watched is unrelated to the fact that the sun is shining. You can also describe two people who aren't in the same family as unrelated. The Latin root is relatus, a past participle of referre, "bring back."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But if multiple visits reveal unrelated faults within an aging cistern, additional charges become easier to justify.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 10, 2026
Sometimes bands break up for one specific or large reason, and sometimes it is a chain of events, seemingly unrelated, or not visible from the outside.
From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026
When asked why WOW was backing initiatives apparently unrelated to its billboard network, Chief Executive Scott Krantz said the company is pushing for stadium operators to contribute more to the city.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
Even events seemingly unrelated to Israel can become intra-Jewish flashpoints.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
To his surprise, the old man asked him a question which seemed unrelated to the seeing-beyond.
From "The Giver" by Lois Lowry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
