Relation — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ri-ˈlā-shən/ re·la·tion

Meaning & Definition of Relation

Relation (noun)

  1. the act of telling or recounting, account
  2. an aspect or quality (such as resemblance) that connects two or more things or parts as being or belonging or working together or as being of the same kind; specifically, a property (such as one expressed by is equal to, is less than, or is the brother of) that holds between an ordered pair of objects
  3. the referring by a legal fiction of an act to a prior date as the time of its taking effect —usually used with back

Relation (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. doings between individuals or groups

    "relations between the rival newspapers remained friendly despite their competition for the same stories"

    similar: commerce, dealings, interaction, intercourse
    related: interrelationship, cross-fertilization, cross-pollination, companionship, company

  2. a person connected with another by blood or marriage

    "he and I are relations on my mother's side"

    similar: cousin, kin, kinsman, relative
    related: in-law, kissing cousin, kinswoman, blood, clan, family, folk, house, kindred, kinfolk, kinsfolk, line, lineage, people, race (archaic), stock, tribe

  3. 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"

    similar: affinity, association, bearing, connection, kinship, liaison, linkage, relationship
    related: correlation, interrelation, materiality, pertinence, relevance, bond, link, tie, affiliation, alliance, union, identicalness, sameness, alikeness, community, likeness, resemblance, similarity, accordance, agreement, conformity, congruity, correspondence
    near: variability, variance, incompatibility, incongruence, incongruity, incongruousness

  4. 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"

    similar: affiliation, alliance, association, collaboration, confederation, connection, cooperation, hookup, liaison, linkup, partnership, relationship, tie-up, union
    related: business, dealings, interaction, exchange, interconnection, interrelation, mutualism, reciprocity, symbiosis, incorporation, integration, merger, unification, affinity, attachment, closeness, intimacy, rapport, sympathy, kinship, oneness, solidarity, togetherness, unity, colleagueship, companionship, company, fellowship, bed, cahoots, league
    opposite: disaffiliation, dissociation
    near: breakup, dissolution, disunion, division, parting, separation, severance, split, alienation, divorce, estrangement

  5. sexual union involving penetration of the vagina by the penis

    "a law that prohibits relations between close relatives"

    similar: coition, coitus, commerce, congress, copulating, copulation, coupling, intercourse, lovemaking, mating, sex, sex act, sexual intercourse, sexual relations, getting it on, making love
    related: fornication, safe sex, carnality, sexuality, breeding, insemination, dalliance, hanky-panky, whoopee

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Relation

The most common words with a similar meaning to Relation:

commerce, dealings, interaction, intercourse, cousin, kin, kinsman, relative, affinity, association, bearing, connection, kinship, liaison, linkage, relationship, affiliation, alliance, collaboration, confederation, cooperation, hookup, linkup, partnership, tie-up, union, coition, coitus, congress, copulating, copulation, coupling, lovemaking, mating, sex, sex act, sexual intercourse, sexual relations, getting it on, making love

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Relation

Words with the opposite meaning of Relation:

disaffiliation, dissociation

Related Words for Relation

interrelationship, cross-fertilization, cross-pollination, companionship, company, in-law, kissing cousin, kinswoman, blood, clan, family, folk, house, kindred, kinfolk, kinsfolk, line, lineage, people, race, stock, tribe, correlation, interrelation, materiality, pertinence, relevance, bond, link, tie

Near Antonyms of Relation

variability, variance, incompatibility, incongruence, incongruity, incongruousness, breakup, dissolution, disunion, division, parting, separation, severance, split, alienation, divorce, estrangement

Origin & Etymology of Relation

Middle English relacion, from Anglo-French, from Latin relation-, relatio, from referre (past participle relatus) to carry back

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Relation

Words & Phrases Containing Relation

equivalence relation, bear no relation to, blood relation, in relation to, near relation, no relation

Frequently Asked Questions about Relation

What does "Relation" mean?

"Relation" means the act of telling or recounting, account. As a noun, it is defined as: the act of telling or recounting, account. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Relation"?

Other words for "Relation" include commerce, dealings, interaction, intercourse, cousin, kin, kinsman and relative. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Relation" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Relation"?

There are 115 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Relation". Common alternatives include commerce, dealings, interaction, intercourse, cousin, kin, kinsman, relative, affinity and association.

What is the opposite of "Relation"?

Antonyms of "Relation" include disaffiliation and dissociation. Near antonyms include variability, variance, incompatibility and incongruence.

How do you use "Relation" in a sentence?

Examples of "Relation" in a sentence: "relations between the rival newspapers remained friendly despite their competition for the same stories"; "he and I are relations on my mother's side"; "there's no relation between you losing your favorite baseball hat and your team losing the game".

Is "Relation" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Relation" is a noun.

Is "Relation" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Relation" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Relation"?

"Relation" is pronounced /ri-ˈlā-shən/ and divided into syllables as re·la·tion.