related
Americanadjective
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associated; connected.
- Synonyms:
- affiliated, relevant
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allied by nature, origin, kinship, marriage, etc.
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narrated, recounted, or told.
There were two eyewitnesses, but their related accounts were completely different.
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Music. (of chords, scales, or tones) having a close harmonic or melodic connection.
adjective
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connected; associated
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connected by kinship or marriage
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(in diatonic music) denoting or relating to a key that has notes in common with another key or keys
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of related
Explanation
Things are related when there's some connection or similarity between them. The fact that you caught a cold might be related to the fact that the kids you babysat sneezed and coughed all night long. People are related when they share a family connection, and other things are related by different kinds of connections. One poem is related to another if they come from the same school or movement of poetry, and a boy's dislike of baseball is probably related to the fact that his first coach yelled a lot. The verb relate is at the root of related, from the Latin relatus, "brought 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.
Earlier this year, another federal judge ordered the signage related to Washington’s slaves restored.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2026
Demand for packaging materials related to AI applications has been on the rise, such as chip-scale-package substrates, an area of strength for the Japanese company, the analysts say.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026
Years later, Michaelson's laboratory completed genetic sequencing through NIH-funded research, making it possible to examine how differences in DNA related to variations in language ability.
From Science Daily • Jun. 12, 2026
That retail shareholder base has consistently voted with Musk, often against proxy advisors’ recommendations—especially on issues related to Musk’s pay awards, which have historically included large amounts of incentive-laden stock.
From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026
To find out more about who I am, who I might be related to, who I could be if I put my mind to it.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
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.
