Standard Lemma guide

relate

verb · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /ɹɪˈleɪt/
  • General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /ɹiˈleɪt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪt
  • CMU ARPABET: R IH0 L EY1 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: R IY0 L EY1 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To tell in a descriptive way.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The captain related an old yarn.
  • Please relate the circumstances of your journey here today.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To be relevant specifically to.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • These regulations relate only to exported goods.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To bring into a relation, association, or connection (between one thing and another).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To have a connection.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • The patterns on the screen relate to the pitch and volume of the music being played.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ally, refer, pertain

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To interact.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, jargon

Examples

  • Children who find it hard to relate end up being inadequately socialized.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To respond through reaction.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To identify with; to understand.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • I find it difficult to relate to others because I'm extremely introverted.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To bring back; to restore.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

make a logical or causal connection

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I cannot connect these two pieces of evidence in my mind
  • colligate these facts
  • I cannot relate these events at all

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: associate, tie in, link, colligate, link up, connect

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: think, cogitate, cerebrate

Narrower terms: remember, interrelate, correlate, identify, free-associate, think of, have in mind, mean

10

verb

Meaning 10

give an account of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The witness related the events

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: tell, narrate, recount, recite

11

verb

Meaning 11

have or establish a relationship to

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She relates well to her peers

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: interact

Narrower terms: harmonize, harmonise, oblige, bind, hold, obligate, connect, disrespect, mesh, take back, get along with, get on with, get on, get along, tie, attach, bond

12

verb

Meaning 12

be relevant to

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • There were lots of questions referring to her talk
  • My remark pertained to your earlier comments

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: refer, pertain, concern, come to, bear on, touch, touch on, have-to doe with

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: focus on, center on, revolve around, revolve about, concentrate on, center, apply, hold, go for, involve, affect, regard, matter to, interest

13

verb

Meaning 13

be in a relationship with

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • How are these two observations related?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: interrelate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: be

Narrower terms: predicate, tutor, tie in

History

Etymology

From Latin relātus, perfect passive participle of referō (“carry back; report”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Doublet of refer. See also infer, collate and confer, delate and defer, as well as prefer and prelate among others.

Across languages

Translations

52 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: описвам (opisvam) — to tell in a descriptive manner
  • Dutch: vertellen — to tell in a descriptive manner
  • German: berichten — to tell in a descriptive manner
  • Gothic: 𐍃𐍀𐌹𐌻𐌻𐍉𐌽 (spillōn) — to tell in a descriptive manner
  • Italian: riferire — to tell in a descriptive manner
  • Latin: narrō — to tell in a descriptive manner
  • Latin: referō — to tell in a descriptive manner
  • Māori: āmiki — to tell in a descriptive manner
  • Māori: āmiku — to tell in a descriptive manner
  • Māori: whiti — to tell in a descriptive manner
  • Persian: روایت کردن — to tell in a descriptive manner
  • Portuguese: relatar — to tell in a descriptive manner
  • Sanskrit: गदति (gadati) — to tell in a descriptive manner
  • Spanish: relatar — to tell in a descriptive manner
  • Ukrainian: розповіда́ти (rozpovidáty) — to tell in a descriptive manner
  • Ukrainian: розка́зувати (rozkázuvaty) — to tell in a descriptive manner
  • Welsh: adrodd — to tell in a descriptive manner
  • Bulgarian: свързвам (svǎrzvam) — to give an association
  • Finnish: tuoda mieleen — to give an association
  • Japanese: 繋げる (tsunageru) — to give an association
  • Portuguese: relacionar — to give an association
  • Spanish: relacionar — to give an association
  • Ukrainian: асоціюва́ти (asocijuváty) — to give an association
  • Ukrainian: пов'я́зувати (povʺjázuvaty) — to give an association
  • Bulgarian: отнасям към (otnasjam kǎm) — to make a connection from something to something else
  • Finnish: liittää — to make a connection from something to something else
  • Finnish: yhdistää — to make a connection from something to something else
  • Finnish: samaistaa — to make a connection from something to something else
  • Japanese: 繋げる (tsunageru) — to make a connection from something to something else
  • Japanese: 結び付ける (musubi tsukeru) — to make a connection from something to something else
  • Japanese: 関連付ける (kanren-zukeru) — to make a connection from something to something else
  • Pennsylvania German: aabelange — to make a connection from something to something else
  • Spanish: relacionar — to make a connection from something to something else
  • Ukrainian: пов'я́зувати (povʺjázuvaty) — to make a connection from something to something else
  • Bulgarian: свързан съм (svǎrzan sǎm) — to have a connection
  • Chinese Mandarin: 有關 /有关 (yǒuguān) — to have a connection
  • Finnish: liittyä — to have a connection
  • Finnish: yhdistyä — to have a connection
  • Finnish: samastua — to have a connection
  • Finnish: samaistua — to have a connection
  • Pennsylvania German: aabelange — to have a connection
  • Spanish: relacionarse — to have a connection
  • Ukrainian: відно́ситися (vidnósytysja) — to have a connection
  • Finnish: vastata — to respond through reaction
  • Finnish: reagoida — to respond through reaction
  • Catalan: identificar-se (amb) — to identify with, understand
  • Finnish: ymmärtää — to identify with, understand
  • Finnish: samastua — to identify with, understand
  • Hebrew: הזדהה (hizdahá) — to identify with, understand
  • Portuguese: identificar-se — to identify with, understand
  • Spanish: identificarse [con] — to identify with, understand
  • Spanish: empatizar — to identify with, understand