relate
- 01 B1 Intermediate
to show or find a connection between two or more things.
to establish or demonstrate a logical or causal connection between two or more entities.
Simple“It is difficult to relate these two events because they happened years apart.”
In context“Researchers are struggling to relate the sudden drop in local temperatures to the broader patterns of global climate change.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'to'.
Antonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
to understand how someone feels or why they do something because you have felt the same way.
to identify with or feel a sense of rapport with a person, situation, or idea.
Simple“I can really relate to your problem because I had the same thing happen to me.”
In context“Many younger viewers found they could relate to the protagonist's struggle to balance professional ambition with personal integrity.”
UsageIntransitive; almost always followed by 'to'.
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
to tell someone about an event or a story in detail.
to give an account of a sequence of events; to narrate or recount.
Simple“He began to relate the strange things he had seen during his trip.”
In context“The witness was asked to relate the exact sequence of events as they had unfolded on the night of the accident.”
UsageTransitive; takes a direct object representing the story or information being shared.
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
to behave toward other people or communicate with them.
to interact or communicate with others in a particular social or interpersonal context.
Simple“She finds it hard to relate to her colleagues because she is very shy.”
In context“The workshop focuses on how managers relate to their employees during high-pressure project phases.”
UsageIntransitive; usually followed by 'to'.
Usage clearly relate · closely relate · data relate
From Latin relātus, perfect passive participle of referō (“carry back; report”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Doublet of refer. See also infer, collate and confer, delate and defer, as well as prefer and prelate among others.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.