RELATION Synonyms: 135 Similar and Opposite Words

relation

noun

ri-ˈlā-shən

Definition of relation

as in interaction

relations plural doings between individuals or groups relations between the rival newspapers remained friendly despite their competition for the same stories

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in relative

a person connected with another by blood or marriage he and I are relations on my mother's side

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in relationship

the fact or state of having something in common there's no relation between you losing your favorite baseball hat and your team losing the game

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in partnership

the state of having shared interests or efforts (as in social or business matters) our intramural baseball team had a relation with the other baseball teams in the area

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in sex

relations plural sexual union involving penetration of the vagina by the penis a law that prohibits relations between close relatives

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 relation No list of books about Renaissance Venice (and its relations with Jews) would be complete without Brian Pullan’s classic study. — Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026 Community relations knows what people living near a project are worried about. — Amanda Simonian, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026 Jeep Europe boss Xavier Peugeot (yes relation) indicated such a model wouldn’t emerge until 2030 at the earliest. — Adam Ismail, The Drive, 15 Oct. 2026 Also, there has been a lot of frustration against the Omanis, and the Omanis have had traditionally good relations with Iran. — Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for relation

Recent Examples of Synonyms for relation

Noun

Meanwhile, second-unit director Peter Ramsey worked alongside stunt performers, with some creature interactions achieved through surprisingly simple physical stand-ins.

— Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Removing a product from the browsing history display should not be treated as confirmation that Amazon has deleted every record of the interaction.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of interaction

Noun

Authorities have reportedly issued more than a dozen subpoenas, including to some of Omar’s relatives, and are examining her family’s immigration paperwork.

— Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
According to the indictment, detainees were subjected to electric shocks, simulated drowning, beatings, asphyxiation, sleep deprivation and threats against their relatives.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of relative

Noun

Coming in 2030 will be a proud fusion of iconic Kansas City brands and institutions, enabled by a partnership with Hallmark that starts with razing its headquarters to accommodate the stadium district footprint.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026
Hugo said his work as a songwriter, producer, arranger, and performer was central to their success, though Williams was the public face of their partnership.

— Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of partnership

Noun

The coupling of violence with law and order is ever present in the agent’s recollections, but tonally, the show feels light.

— Stephanie Wambugu, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
The vehicles can separate and regroup to route freight toward different destinations without requiring the same conventional coupling arrangements.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of coupling

Noun

The cousin had made it to the top of the suicide-bomber list at Menagh, said his prayers, and taken his position behind the driver’s seat in a truck full of explosives.

— Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
The third installment pivots slightly, focusing more on the experiences of Debra, who is haunted and hunted in the same way as her cousin, Jenny.

— Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of cousin

Noun

Others worry about the toll on Yemenis, our poorer neighbors, who make up the kingdom’s largest foreign community and share ties of kinship and history with Saudis.

— Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Reczek and Bosley-Smith read the return partly as evidence of compulsory kinship’s durability, and the evidence supports them.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of kinship

Noun

The European Composer and Songwriter Alliance helps fill that gap, uniting national associations to lobby policymakers and guide young composers through contracts and negotiations.

— Ben Croll, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Once a staple among cowboys and railroad workers, the Lee 101 became a symbol of youth rebellion in the 1950s, when James Dean popularized the jeans and helped solidify their association with biker culture.

— Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of association

Browse Nearby Words

relating (to)

relation

relations

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Relation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relation. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of relation

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on relation

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

fervid

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes