interrelated
Americanadjective
Usage
What does interrelated mean? Interrelated is used to describe two or more things that are closely connected to each other and may affect each other. Interrelated is used in situations in which two or more elements strongly influence each other or are closely linked to each other. For example, a study on unemployment and crime in a particular area may conclude that they are interrelated. Describing two things as being interrelated does not necessarily mean that one causes the other or that they cause each other (though in some cases this may be true). The word interrelated is typically used in the discussion of complex topics, such as economics, science, and politics. These often involve situations in which multiple things are happening at the same time. Interrelated things can impact each other or work together to affect something else. For example, the economy is affected by many interrelated factors, such as employment, interest rates, and inflation. These and many other interrelated factors affect each other and determine the overall state of the economy. The verb interrelate means to be connected in an interrelated way or cause things to become connected in this way. Example: The strength of the hurricane depends on several interrelated factors, including temperature and air pressure.
Other Word Forms
- interrelatedly adverb
- interrelatedness noun
Etymology
Origin of interrelated
Explanation
Interrelated things are connected — they compliment or depend on each other. Your mood and whether or not you ate breakfast this morning might be interrelated, for example. Most scientists agree that our minds and bodies are interrelated, since our emotions can affect our health, and physical injuries and illnesses can also affect our mood. Equally interrelated are issues of poverty and crime in major cities. Interrelated combines inter-, in Latin "between or among," and relate, which first meant only "recount or tell," but by the 1690s gained the meaning "bring something into relation with something else."
Vocabulary lists containing interrelated
Vocabulary from Readings 2, Unit 3
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Vocabulary from Readings 5, Unit 4
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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.
Whatever the case, the Mayas’ circumstances and worldview no doubt informed their response to these interrelated pressures.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
"We know that all sorts of aspects of emotional wellbeing impact academic performance - they are all interrelated," she said.
From BBC • Aug. 22, 2025
Yet millions of Americans are unable to access these drugs, thanks to the two big, interrelated flaws in our healthcare system: unrestrained pricing by drug companies and the economics of health insurance.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 27, 2024
The current work offers a "proof of principle" showing, with the multimodal machine learning, doctors can see a much more accurate "big picture" of all the interrelated factors that affect recovery.
From Science Daily • Jun. 3, 2024
The strongest push continues to be into rural areas, where the need for clean water, schools, employment, and housing is interrelated with health care.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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.
