DictionaryAI

relate

verb
ri-LAYT/ɹɪˈleɪt/

Formsrelates, relating, related

7 meanings of relate

Practice

  1. 1
    verbintransitive
    To feel that you understand someone because you have felt the same way.

    Like seeing your own feelings in someone else's story.

    I can relate to what you're going through right now.

    She related to the new student right away because she had once been new too.

    Similaridentify, empathize, connect, sympathize

    Note
  2. 2
    verbintransitive
    To have a link or connection with something else.

    Like two puzzle pieces that fit together.

    These two events relate in surprising ways.

    Her new job relates closely to her studies.

    Similarconnect, link, associate

    Note
  3. 3
    verbtransitive
    To bring one thing into a clear connection with another.

    Like tying a string between two things to show they go together.

    Scientists relate the rise in temperature to human activity.

    The teacher related the new lesson to what students already knew.

    Similarconnect, link, associate, correlate

    Oppositedissociate

  4. 4
    verbtransitive
    To tell someone about something that happened, with details.

    Like telling a friend everything, step by step.

    Let me relate what happened that night.

    She related the whole story to her friends.

    Similarrecount, tell, describe, narrate, report

    Note
  5. 5
    verbintransitive
    To deal with or get along with other people.

    Like getting along with the other kids on a team.

    He finds it hard to relate to his coworkers.

    She relates to people from all backgrounds.

    Similarinteract, connect, communicate

  6. 6
    verbintransitive
    To react or respond to something that happens.

    Like how your eyes get smaller in bright light.

    Our bodies relate to cold weather by shivering.

    The system relates to changes in pressure automatically.

    Similarrespond, react

Less common meaning

  1. 7
    verbobsolete
    To bring something back to how it used to be.
    Abate your zealous haste, till morrow next again / Both light of heaven and strength of men relate.
    1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie QueeneHere, relate means bring back or restore.
    Note

Practice

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Origin

From Latin relātus, a form of the verb referō meaning "to carry back" or "to report." It is a doublet of refer.