Relate: meaning, definitions and examples

Used when talking about making a personal or emotional connection with someone or something, often sharing similar experiences or feelings.

• She can relate to the struggles of being a single parent.
• It's easy to relate to the characters in this book.

Used when describing the action of bringing two or more things together in a physical, logical, or emotional way.

• They managed to connect the two devices using Bluetooth.
• We need to connect these ideas to build a cohesive argument.

Used when referring to the mental connection or relationship one makes between two things or when grouping items together based on a common feature.

• People often associate chocolate with feelings of happiness.
• He is often associated with positive change in the company.

Used when describing a logical, figurative, or literal connection between two elements, suggesting a chain or sequence.

• The report found a link between the chemicals and health issues.
• She clicked on the link to open the webpage.

Used to describe the act of making a connection between two things or telling a story.

• He can relate his experiences in a very engaging way.
• She couldn't relate the information to what she had learned before.

Describes a physical or logical link between things, objects, or ideas.

• The two cities are connected by a high-speed train.
• Their research is connected to the previous studies on climate change.

Describes either a familial relationship or a non-physical connection between concepts or objects.

• They discovered they are related through their great-grandparents.
• The topics seem different, but they are actually related to each other.

Used to describe a familial relationship. This phrase is somewhat formal and less commonly used in everyday conversation.

• He might be kin, but I haven't seen him in years.
• The reunion brought together many who were kin.

Used when showing how one thing is connected to something else or when sharing personal experiences.

• She can easily relate to your situation because she went through something similar.
• How do these points relate to our main topic?

Employed when linking two or more things together, often in a more physical or digital sense, but also can be emotional or logical links.

• You need to connect the cables to the back of the TV.
• The speaker tried to connect with the audience by sharing a personal story.

Used when making different pieces of information or story elements blend or make sense as a whole.

• The concluding paragraph ties together all the main ideas of the essay.
• Let's tie together these concepts to see the bigger picture.

Applied when referencing or revisiting a previous point or topic.

• I just want to relate back to what we discussed in the last meeting.
• The issue of trust often relates back to childhood experiences.