relation

noun

ri-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce relation (audio)
Definition of relationnext
1
as in interaction
relations plural doings between individuals or groups relations between the rival newspapers remained friendly despite their competition for the same stories

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Relevance
2
as in relative
a person connected with another by blood or marriage he and I are relations on my mother's side

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3
as in relationship
the fact or state of having something in common there's no relation between you losing your favorite baseball hat and your team losing the game

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in partnership
the state of having shared interests or efforts (as in social or business matters) our intramural baseball team had a relation with the other baseball teams in the area

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in sex
relations plural sexual union involving penetration of the vagina by the penis a law that prohibits relations between close relatives

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of relation His tenure ended messily, with reports of deteriorating team relations and a dugout incident. — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 And Zimmerman’s trial became a lightning rod for race relations across America. — Ryan Young, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026 The dispute comes as relations between the longtime allies worsen over trade. — Rob Gillies, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026 Gurman has also reported that Cook is still expected to retain several key responsibilities, including maintaining relations with the White House. — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for relation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relation
  1. interaction
  2. relative
  3. relationship
  4. partnership
  5. coupling
  6. cousin
  7. kinship
  8. association
Noun
  • The two ended up walking away laughing, and Luiz’s grin rode right into the next conversation, drill or interaction with anyone on the field.
    — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The use of smartphones, self-service kiosks, and noise-canceling headphones reduces human interaction.
    — Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of interaction
Noun
  • The documentary relies on interviews with Mica’s relatives, friends, former Solid Rock Church members and divorce attorney, the streaming platform said.
    — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • As families wait for news about their relatives, damaged roads, power outages and fears of further flooding have hampered rescue efforts.
    — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of relative
Noun
  • The algorithm first fixes both cameras on a 3D point and determines the geometric relationship between the resulting images.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Bret decides to visit Matt’s father, who is surprisingly wistful about his missing son and their fractured relationship.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of relationship
Noun
  • The Tommy Hilfiger partnership felt to Kelce like a natural fit.
    — Nick Remsen, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Under the partnership, ERI will use its nationwide electronics collection and processing network to identify, secure, and pre-process products containing rare earth magnets and other critical materials for recovery by Cyclic Materials.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of partnership
Noun
  • The coupling is equally beneficial for concerns like hyperpigmentation, melasma, and sun damage.
    — Kelsey Stewart, Allure, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The researchers found that energy flow follows a mathematical pattern before setting into a thermal equilibrium and stronger the coupling between dust particles, slower is the process.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of coupling
Noun
  • The prizes’ name is a reference to Ignatius (Ig) Nobel—a fictional character said to be a distant cousin of Swedish inventor and industrialist Alfred Nobel, for whom the Nobel Prizes are named—and is also a pun on the word ignoble.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The Tell Me Lies star, 29, remembers playing with makeup as a child, experimenting on her younger sister and cousin.
    — Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of cousin
Noun
  • Carrington in particular models what some have termed an ecofeminist approach, one that does not appropriate animals for the artist’s own self-revelation but instead develops kinship across species.
    — Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Many here say that, despite Iceland’s European roots, the country feels just as much kinship with the United States – if not more.
    — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of kinship
Noun
  • However, many trade associations include sole proprietors who don't qualify for an AHP, and some organizations have members in a range of industries.
    — Sarah Agostino, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Disputes over Israel, antisemitism and El-Sayed’s association with controversial online commentator Hasan Piker have complicated the party’s effort to turn its attention to Republican Mike Rogers.
    — Joey Cappelletti, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of association

Browse Nearby Words

relating (to)
relation
relations
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Cite this Entry

“Relation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relation. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on relation

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about relation

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