relate
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
-
to have reference (often followed byto ).
-
to have some relation (often followed byto ).
-
to establish a social or sympathetic relationship with a person or thing.
two sisters unable to relate to each other.
verb
-
(tr) to tell or narrate (a story, information, etc)
-
(often foll by to) to establish association (between two or more things) or (of something) to have relation or reference (to something else)
-
to form a sympathetic or significant relationship (with other people, things, etc)
Synonym Usage
Relate, recite, recount, rehearse mean to tell, report, or describe in some detail an occurrence or circumstance. To relate is to give an account of happenings, events, circumstances, etc.: to relate one's adventures. To recite may mean to give details consecutively, but more often applies to the repetition from memory of something learned with verbal exactness: to recite a poem. To recount is usually to set forth consecutively the details of an occurrence, argument, experience, etc., to give an account in detail: to recount an unpleasant experience. Rehearse implies some formality and exactness in telling, sometimes with repeated performance as for practice before final delivery: to rehearse one's side of a story.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
relatesimple
-
relatessimple
-
have relatedperfect
-
has relatedperfect
-
am relatingprogressive
-
are relatingprogressive
-
is relatingprogressive
-
have been relatingperfect progressive
-
has been relatingperfect progressive
Past
-
relatedsimple
-
had relatedperfect
-
was relatingprogressive
-
were relatingprogressive
-
had been relatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of relate
First recorded in 1480–90; from Latin relātus, past participle of referre “to carry back” ( see refer)
Explanation
The verb relate means "to make a connection." If you can relate to someone's story, something like that has happened to you. Relate also means "to give an account of something verbally," like relating details of your trip to Sweden. That meaning of relate comes from the Latin word relatus, meaning "to recount, tell." If you talk about the federal budget crisis, people might not be interested until you relate it, meaning "explain the relationship between," to the possible job cuts at your local schools and police departments.
Vocabulary lists containing relate
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Stamp Act (1765)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Beowulf vocabulary
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Advice provided by the Clinical Quality Director at Relate, a relationship counselling service.
From BBC • Sep. 7, 2025
Relate those feelings to the amount and type of movement you’ve done that day or that week.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 21, 2021
The Relate App also connects to Google Assistant to help users turn on the lights or play a song with their voices.
From The Verge • Nov. 9, 2021
Dating site eHarmony and relationships charity Relate published the intriguing report on Wednesday, arguing that new couples have been quicker to commit during the ongoing outbreak.
From Fox News • Jun. 25, 2020
Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
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.
