relate

[ ri-leyt ]
/ rɪˈleɪt /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR relate ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), re·lat·ed, re·lat·ing.

to tell; give an account of (an event, circumstance, etc.).
to bring into or establish association, connection, or relation: to relate events to probable causes.

verb (used without object), re·lat·ed, re·lat·ing.

to have reference (often followed by to).
to have some relation (often followed by to).
to establish a social or sympathetic relationship with a person or thing: two sisters unable to relate to each other.

Origin of relate

1480–90; < Latin relātus, suppletive past participle of referre to carry back (see refer)

SYNONYMS FOR relate

1 narrate, delineate, detail, repeat. Relate, recite, recount, rehearse mean to tell, report, or describe in some detail an occurrence or circumstance. To relate is to give an account of happenings, events, circumstances, etc.: to relate one's adventures. To recite may mean to give details consecutively, but more often applies to the repetition from memory of something learned with verbal exactness: to recite a poem. To recount is usually to set forth consecutively the details of an occurrence, argument, experience, etc., to give an account in detail: to recount an unpleasant experience. Rehearse implies some formality and exactness in telling, sometimes with repeated performance as for practice before final delivery: to rehearse one's side of a story.
2 ally.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR relate ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM relate

Words nearby relate

reladle, relapse, relapsing fever, relapsing polychondritis, relata, relate, related, relation, relational, relational database, relations

VOCAB BUILDER

What does relatable mean?

If something is relatable, it means you can relate to it—you can identify with it because you’ve experienced it or something similar.

Relatable is the adjective form of relate, one meaning of which is to establish a social or sympathetic relationship with a person or thing. Saying something is relatable is the same as saying that you can relate to it.

Relatable can also mean able to be expressed or described, as in Complex concepts like this are not easily relatable in such a short amount of time.

It can also mean able to be connected to something else, as in The two events are not so easily relatable—it’s not a simple case of cause and effect. 

Example: The part in the movie when she hit the snooze button 10 times was so relatable—I do that all the time!

Where does relatable come from?

The first record of relatable comes from the 1620s. The word relate is first recorded in the 1490s and derives from the Latin relatus, meaning “brought back.” It comes from the Latin verb referre, which means “to carry back” and is the basis of the word refer.

In everyday conversation, the word relatable has become a popular way to describe a person or thing as one you identify with—one that gives you a feeling of familiarity. People who are relatable are people who seem a lot like you, especially in relation to the things they do or have experienced. You’re most likely to become friends with someone who’s relatable because it means you have a lot in common.

Certain aspects of pop culture, like scenes from TV or movies, are called relatable when they remind you of real life. Fictional characters are called relatable when they do the things you would do, say the things you would say, and feel the things you feel. Celebrities live very different lifestyles than the average person, but they can be described as relatable when they seem like regular, down-to-earth people.

On social media, relatable gets used (often as a #relatable) to sympathize with posts about things that people have done or are going through, especially embarrassing situations or awkward moments. Because we’ve all been there, and we can relate.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms of relatable?

  • relate (verb)
  • relatability (noun)

What are some words that share a root or word element with relatable? 

What are some words that often get used in discussing relatable?

How is relatable used in real life?

Relatable is commonly used in discussions and comments about how an experience is very familiar to one’s own.

 

 

Try using relatable!

Is the word relatable used correctly in the following sentence?

I just saw the most relatable post about dating—it’s like I could have written it myself!

Words related to relatable

engaging, understandable, sympathetic, empathetic, responsive, cordial, interesting, approachable, accessible, charismatic

Example sentences from the Web for relatable

British Dictionary definitions for relatable

relate
/ (rɪˈleɪt) /

verb

(tr) to tell or narrate (a story, information, etc)
(often foll by to) to establish association (between two or more things) or (of something) to have relation or reference (to something else)
(intr often foll by to) to form a sympathetic or significant relationship (with other people, things, etc)

Derived forms of relate

relatable, adjective relater, noun

Word Origin for relate

C16: from Latin relātus brought back, from referre to carry back, from re- + ferre to bear; see refer