# unrelated

/ˌənɹiˈɫeɪtɪd/ (US) · /ˌʌnɹɪlˈeɪtɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/unrelated
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. not connected

adjective · CEFR B2

not connected or associated with something else.

For teachers: lacking a logical, causal, or thematic connection to a specific subject or event.

- The police believe the two crimes are completely unrelated to each other.
- The witness provided several details that were entirely unrelated to the primary investigation, causing significant delays in the courtroom proceedings.

Usage: often followed by the preposition 'to'

### 2. not family

adjective · CEFR B2

not belonging to the same family.

For teachers: lacking a biological or legal kinship; not members of the same family unit.

- Although they have the same last name, the two students are unrelated.
- The study compared the genetic markers of siblings against those of unrelated individuals from the same geographic region.

## Examples

- The two problems are completely unrelated.
- The doctor explained that my headache was unrelated to the medicine I started taking last week.
- Although the two events occurred on the same afternoon, police believe they are entirely unrelated and were carried out by different groups.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.