English Reference
Noun

rapport

n. C / U
C1 Advanced US /ɹæˈpɔɹ/ UK /ɹæpˈɔː/ rap·port UK spelling rapports

n.a friendly relationship where people understand each other's ideas and feelings well. When you have this, you find it easy to talk and work together.

n.a close and harmonious relationship in which the people or groups concerned understand each other's feelings or ideas and communicate well.


SIMPLE

The teacher has a great rapport with her students.

CONTEXTUAL

Building a strong rapport with clients is essential for long-term success in any sales-driven industry.

COMPLEX

The negotiator spent hours establishing a genuine rapport with the opposing party before attempting to discuss the more contentious points of the treaty.

Usage

Often used with the verbs 'build', 'establish', or 'develop'; typically takes the preposition 'with'.

Pitfall
They have a good rapport between them.They have a good rapport with each other.

While 'between' is used for the relationship itself, 'rapport' is most naturally paired with 'with' to describe the connection to another person.

Be careful what you wish for: the returning president thought his rapport with Putin would be enough to get Russia to sign up to an immediate ceasefire.

The Guardian· 24 Aug 2026

So too is the rapport between the men, who discuss their faith in unembarrassed fashion and talk about what Jesus means to them.

The Guardian· 9 Aug 2026

Borrowed from French rapport.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin French rapport
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated