relate
rih-LAYT
Relate (verb) means to tell or describe an event or story. Example: “The old sailor related stories of storms he had seen at sea.”
verb
1
To tell or describe an event or story.
"The old sailor related stories of storms he had seen at sea."
"She related what had happened with a smile, and everyone laughed."
"He related the whole incident to the police in detail."
2
To be connected with or relevant to something.
"Does this question relate to the topic we discussed yesterday?"
"Many health problems relate to poor sleep and too little exercise."
"These figures relate to last year's sales, not this year's."
3
To understand or identify with someone else's feelings or experience.
"Many teenagers can relate to feeling nervous on the first day at a new school."
"It is hard to relate to someone whose life is so different from mine."
"I really relate to what you're describing — I went through the same thing."
How to use relate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo connect something to something else, tell a story, or personally identify with someone's experience.
Common pairings
relate to
relate a story
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- relates
- Past tense
- related
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The old sailor _____ stories of storms he had seen at sea.
Etymology
From Latin relatus, the past participle of referre, "to carry back or report." A doublet of "refer."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for relate
See all rhymes for relate →Frequently asked questions
What does “relate” mean?
The word “relate” means to tell or describe an event or story. In plain terms, to connect something to something else, tell a story, or personally identify with someone's experience.
How do you pronounce “relate”?
“Relate” is pronounced rih-LAYT (/ɹɪˈleɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “relate” in a sentence?
Here is “relate” used in a sentence: “He related the whole incident to the police in detail.”
What is another word for “relate”?
Words with a similar meaning to “relate” include chronicle, describe, divulge, recount and state.
What part of speech is “relate”?
“Relate” is a verb.
Where does the word “relate” come from?
The word “relate” comes from Latin. From Latin relatus, the past participle of referre, "to carry back or report." A doublet of "refer.".
Is “relate” a common word?
“Relate” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “relate” have?
“Relate” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to tell or describe an event or story.
What is the difference between "relate" and "relate to"?
On its own, "relate" means to tell or describe an event or story, as in "He related the whole adventure." "Relate to" means to be connected with something, or informally to identify and empathise with it, as in "I can relate to that feeling." The added preposition changes the meaning.
What is the difference between "relate" and "narrate"?
Both mean to tell a story or describe events. "Narrate" is more formal and suggests a structured, ongoing account, often of a film or book. "Relate" is a slightly more everyday word for recounting what happened.
Is it "relate to" or "relate with"?
Standard English uses "relate to," as in "how these ideas relate to each other" or "I relate to her situation." "Relate with" is not idiomatic in this sense and should be avoided.
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