What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
relative
Example
My relatives are coming over for dinner tonight. [relative: noun]
Example
The relative humidity is quite high today. [relative: adjective]
Example
He's my distant relative, we don't really know each other well. [relative: adjective]
related
Example
The two incidents are related and should be investigated together. [related: adjective]
Example
This book is related to the topic we discussed in class yesterday. [related: verb]
Example
The two species are closely related and share many characteristics. [related: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Related is more commonly used than relative in everyday language. Related is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while relative is less common and refers specifically to familial relationships.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between relative and related?
While related can be used in both formal and informal contexts, relative is typically associated with a casual and informal tone due to its common usage in familial contexts.
