relatable

American  

[ri-leyt-uh-buhl] / rɪˈleɪ tə bəl /

adjective

1. able to be connected or linked.

   The power of the drill is directly relatable to the amount of voltage stored in its battery.

2. easy to form a social or emotional connection with; appealing or sympathetic.

   She plays the sort of supremely relatable everywoman that moviegoers love and learn from.

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Usage

What does relatable mean? If something is relatable, it means you can relate to it—you can identify with it because you’ve experienced it or something similar. Relatable is the adjective form of relate, one meaning of which is to establish a social or sympathetic relationship with a person or thing. Saying something is relatable is the same as saying that you can relate to it. Relatable can also mean able to be expressed or described, as in Complex concepts like this are not easily relatable in such a short amount of time. It can also mean able to be connected to something else, as in The two events are not so easily relatable—it’s not a simple case of cause and effect. Example: The part in the movie when she hit the snooze button 10 times was so relatable—I do that all the time!

Other Word Forms

• relatability noun

Etymology

Origin of relatable

relat(e) ( def. ) + -able ( def. )

Explanation

Anything that's relatable can be connected with something else. Your stomachache may be relatable to all that ice cream you ate for breakfast. When one thing relates or pertains to another, they're relatable. A less formal but extremely popular way to use this word is for something you understand or sympathize with because you've experienced the same thing yourself. If every character in a book is perfectly beautiful and witty, they're not particularly relatable. On the other hand, your favorite comedian's bit about an embarrassing gaffe at a fancy party is totally relatable.

Example Sentences

Magyar posts a mixture of professional content and images portraying himself as a younger and more relatable leader, showing him partying, playing volleyball, flipping burgers at a restaurant, and enjoying water sports.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

We’re looking for your most relatable stories to include in next week’s edition of Don’t Short Yourself.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

Though Flea exudes a childlike excitement in pretty much everything he does, with “Honora,” there’s also a reflective maturity that’s relatable, especially for longtime fans who’ve grown up with him and his music.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

Fans also expressed grief online, remembering Xander as the heart of the group, a character whose vulnerability and humor made him relatable in a world of supernatural extremes.

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

In other words, the song relives and retells the experiences of a child in another century and makes her story highly relatable to us today.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

Related Words

• engaging