relative 1 of 2

noun

ˈre-lə-tiv How to pronounce relative (audio)
Definition of relativenext
as in cousin
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

relative

2 of 2

adjective

1
as in comparative
being such only when compared to something else after being crammed into a one-bedroom apartment, they lived in relative comfort in a two-bedroom house

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in relevant
having to do with the matter at hand I don't need the whole story, just the details that are relative to the case

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 relative
Noun
Interviews with relatives and employees reveal two competing portraits of the 82-year-old’s condition, with some worried about her cognitive health. — Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026 When officers arrived at the home, Love was sitting on the back patio, and as police were talking to her relative, Love suddenly stood up and approached the rear sliding door of the home with two large knives. — Todd Feurer, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Adjective
The attraction of single-nozzle systems was always their relative simplicity and affordability. — New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026 And since the summer, Russia has been gaining a relative advantage for two reasons. — Gerard Toal, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for relative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relative
  1. cousin
  2. comparative
  3. relevant
  4. relation
  5. comparable
  6. applicable
  7. almost
Noun
  • Panday is the nephew of actor Chunky Panday and a cousin of actor Ananya Panday.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Oct. 2026
  • When her 9-year-old daughter’s hand quivered, a teenage cousin helped guide the clipper over her mother’s scalp.
    — Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of cousin
Adjective
  • All the branches of the Russian military are also developing their own versions of NNSD and are seeking to claim a comparative advantage in its execution.
    — Dmitry Adamsky, Foreign Affairs, 21 Oct. 2026
  • What’s changed, too, is that China no longer plays the game of comparative advantage, which is the ideological basis of the World Trade Organization.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of comparative
Adjective
  • These capabilities were particularly relevant during the final 103 meters (338 feet) of construction on the Shangri-La side tower.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The reforms are designed for children and teenagers, but touch on a psychological phenomenon just as relevant to adults.
    — Ashwini Nadkarni, Time, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of relevant
Noun
  • Tariffs and American relations with Canada have been top of mind in parts of the district.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • By contrast, recent restrictions or delays suggest a greater emphasis on managing relations with Beijing and avoiding unnecessary escalation.
    — Ningrong Liu, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of relation
Adjective
  • The physiological case for a brief dunk is, by her own account, comparable.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026
  • According to Inception, Mercury 3 is more than 40 times larger than its first-generation model, Mercury 1, while maintaining comparable processing speeds.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of comparable
Adjective
  • Florida law imposes limits on direct contributions to state candidates but generally allows political committees to accept unlimited contributions, subject to applicable reporting and other legal requirements.
    — Luisa Yanez, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The vaccine may also usher in a new wave of treatments for other types of cancer, though experts are debating how broadly applicable the technology could be.
    — Ed Silverman, STAT, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of applicable
Adjective
  • Home of a fur seal trade leading to an almost extinction of seals, a whaling station, and then many volcanic eruptions leading to the destruction of scientific stations, this island looks like it is cursed.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The Chiefs have long been the prototypical contender, the Steelers the paragon of the almost contenders … and the Jets, Browns and Raiders are usually in the third bucket.
    — Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 8 May 2026
Definition of almost

Browse Nearby Words

relationships
relative
relatively
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Relative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relative. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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