relationship
- 01 A2 Elementary
the way two people or groups feel and behave toward each other.
the state of being connected by social or professional interactions; the way in which people or groups regard and behave toward one another.
Simple“The two countries are working hard to build a better trade relationship.”
In context“Maintaining a professional relationship with colleagues requires a delicate balance of transparency and personal boundaries.”
PitfallI have a good relationship to my boss. I have a good relationship with my boss.Use the preposition 'with' to describe a relationship between people.
Synonyms - 02 A2 Elementary
a romantic or sexual connection between two people.
a romantic or sexual involvement between two people; often implies a long-term or committed state.
Simple“They have been in a committed relationship for five years.”
In context“The therapist noted that open communication is the cornerstone of any healthy long-term relationship.”
Synonyms - 03 B1 Intermediate
the way people are related within a family, like being a cousin or a brother.
the state of being related by blood, marriage, or adoption.
Simple“What is your relationship to the bride?”
In context“The lawyer spent months tracing the complex relationship between the various heirs to the estate.”
Synonymskinshipfamily ties - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
a connection between two or more things, where one might affect the other.
a significant connection or similarity between two or more facts, objects, or concepts.
Simple“Scientists are studying the relationship between diet and heart disease.”
In context“The study successfully demonstrated a direct relationship between increased carbon emissions and rising global temperatures.”
Synonyms - 05 C1 Advanced
the way two sets of numbers or values are connected.
the association between the elements of two sets, specifically the x-values and y-values of ordered pairs.
Simple“The graph shows a linear relationship between time and distance.”
In context“The researcher identified a non-linear relationship between the variables, suggesting that the initial hypothesis was too simplistic.”
- 06 C2 Proficiency
how much two musical keys or sounds are similar to each other.
the degree of affinity or harmonic connection between different keys, chords, or tones.
Simple“The composer explored the relationship between the two distant keys.”
In context“The piece relies on the close harmonic relationship between C major and its relative minor to create a sense of emotional transition.”
Usage relationship between two · relationship with the public · relationships people
From relation + -ship.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.