RELATIVES Synonyms: 23 Similar and Opposite Words

relatives

noun

plural of relative

as in cousins

a person connected with another by blood or marriage it's always fun to see all your relatives at a big family gathering

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

nonrelatives

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 relatives Richard Gere’s Life Now The actor moved to his wife’s home country of Spain with their two sons at the end of 2024 so Silva could be closer to her relatives. — Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026 One day, her teen-age daughter, on the way to choir practice, witnessed ICE detaining someone outside her bus; Bre sent her children to stay with relatives in the suburbs. — Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 Like their Corvidae relatives, both ravens and crows are highly intelligent. — Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 31 Aug. 2026 In April, a former server at Long Island Bar bought the neighborhood relic Sam’s Restaurant from Lou Migliaccio, whose relatives opened it in 1930. — Rachel Corbett, Curbed, 31 Aug. 2026 Over the last five weeks, the jury heard testimony from doctors, first responders, relatives and even Clancy’s former husband. — Michael Casey, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 Dangi said some workers had managed to make contact and call for help when the disaster struck last Wednesday, and some others who managed to flee reported to authorities and relatives that many of their colleagues were still in the tunnels. — ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026 Relatives abroad are sending solar panels and portable power stations to their relatives on the island. — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026 This problem may be an issue of the relatives being overeager or proud or not having conversational skills that align well with yours. — Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for relatives

Noun

Bizarrely, sweepstakes machines, unlike their VGT and casino slot cousins, are neither regulated nor taxed.

— Joe Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Cuban Knight Anole Cuban knight anoles are the bigger, greener cousins to a brown anole.

— Alex Harris August 25, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of cousins

Noun

Canada could restrict key exports to the US, such as energy and a key fertilizer ingredient known as potash, said Diamond Isinger, a policy strategist and former special advisor on Canada-US relations to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

— Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
Cook’s legacy has been defined by his deft leadership through tumultuous supply chain environments and tense international trade relations.

— Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of relations

Browse Nearby Words

relatively

relatives

relativities

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

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

Copy Citation

Synonyms of relatives

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

conscientious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes