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British

relationship

[ ri-ley-shuhn-ship ]

/ rɪˈleɪ ʃənˌʃɪp /

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See synonyms for: relationship / relationships on Thesaurus.com

noun

a connection, association, or involvement.

connection between persons by blood or marriage.

an emotional or other connection between people: the relationship between teachers and students.

a sexual involvement; affair.

OTHER WORDS FOR relationship

1 dependence, alliance, kinship.

2 affinity, consanguinity.

See synonyms for relationship on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of relationship

First recorded in 1735–45; relation + -ship

synonym study for relationship

2. Relationship, kinship refer to connection with others by blood or by marriage. Relationship can be applied to connection either by birth or by marriage: relationship to a ruling family. Kinship generally denotes common descent and implies a more intimate connection than relationship: the ties and obligations of kinship.

OTHER WORDS FROM relationship

pre·re·la·tion·ship, noun

Words nearby relationship

related, relation, relational, relational database, relations, relationship, relationship marketing, relative, relative aperture, relative atomic mass, relative bearing

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use relationship in a sentence

When you talk about the difference between an events business and a community business, it’s mainly one of a lasting relationship.
Fortune Connect is bringing its conference business to a larger audience, with a higher price tag|Kayleigh Barber|September 15, 2020|Digiday
Unless you decide that the value here is never in what they say, they do, but in whatever else is valuable about the relationship.
Making Poly Less of a Pain in the Ass|Eugene Robinson|September 14, 2020|Ozy
It taught me to never “network,” but to build actual authentic relationships.
Book recommendations from Fortune’s 40 under 40 in media and entertainment|Rachel King|September 11, 2020|Fortune
Erdogan inherited a strong relationship with Israel when he swept to national power almost 20 years ago.
Erdogan Pitches Himself as Muslim World’s New Leader|Charu Kasturi|September 10, 2020|Ozy

So, I asked Thom Mayer whether his relationship with Allen Sills had been adversarial.
Why Can’t Schools Get What the N.F.L. Has? (Ep. 431)|Stephen J. Dubner|September 10, 2020|Freakonomics
Will the Pam/Krieger relationship be an ongoing theme this season?
‘Archer’ Creator Adam Reed Spills Season 6 Secrets, From Surreal Plotlines to Life Post-ISIS|Marlow Stern|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In a romantic relationship, facing humiliation or awkwardness is a strong possibility.
Random Hook-Ups or Dry Spells: Why Millennials Flunk College Dating|Ellie Schaack|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
A 2012 study found that fully 76% of Duke students want to be in a committed romantic relationship.
Random Hook-Ups or Dry Spells: Why Millennials Flunk College Dating|Ellie Schaack|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
That explanation is believable…but increasingly less so when you hear Jay talk about the nature of his relationship with Adnan.
The Deal With Serial’s Jay? He’s Pissed Off, Mucks Up Our Timeline|Emily Shire|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Most of us have an unhealthy relationship with anger, writes author and psychologist Andrea Brandt.
Can Self-Help Books Really Make a New You?|Lizzie Crocker|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Edmund de la Pole, earl of Suffolk, on account of his near relationship to the house of York, beheaded.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
You can easily see that in this relationship he must have had a large influence both over the king and over the people.
Our Little Korean Cousin|H. Lee M. Pike
I shall always have a sense of relationship with you quite different from anything I have ever known.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton
As far as you know there isn't a human being living who has any claim to your services by reason of blood relationship.
Dorothy at Skyrie|Evelyn Raymond
The commercial notion is not perhaps quite so distinct here, but the underlying legal relationship is sufficiently marked.
The Religion of Ancient Rome|Cyril Bailey

British Dictionary definitions for relationship

relationship

/ (rɪˈleɪʃənʃɪp) /

noun

the state of being connected or related

association by blood or marriage; kinship

the mutual dealings, connections, or feelings that exist between two parties, countries, people, etca business relationship

an emotional or sexual affair or liaison

logic maths another name for relation (def. 10)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012