relationship

relationship — noun

1. The way two or more separate things, ideas, or events affect each other or are l

1.nounB1
Definition

The way two or more separate things, ideas, or events affect each other or are linked together.

Example

Scientists have found a clear relationship between sleep quality and memory retention.

relationship between [noun] and [noun]

There appears to be no direct relationship between the two events.

no relationship — negated pattern

Common collocations
  • direct relationship
  • inverse relationship
  • causal relationship
  • close relationship
  • positive relationship
  • negative relationship
Synonyms
  • connection

    broader and more neutral; a connection can be looser than a relationship

  • link

    suggests a more direct, causal tie between two things

  • correlation

    formal and statistical, used mainly in scientific or research contexts

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

relationship between [plural noun] and [plural noun]

Usage Note

Often paired with 'between' when comparing two variables or phenomena, as in 'relationship between X and Y.' The adjective 'direct,' 'inverse,' 'close,' or 'causal' frequently appears before the noun.

Common Mistakes

There is a relation between smoking and lung cancer.
There is a relationship between smoking and lung cancer.
For connections between things, 'relationship' is the more natural choice in everyday English.
The relationship of stress to disease is well-known.
The relationship between stress and disease is well-known.
Use 'between X and Y,' not 'of X to Y,' for connections between two things.

2. How individuals, communities, and nations connect and interact with one another

2.nounA2
Definition

How individuals, communities, and nations connect and interact with one another over time.

Example

Kabir has built a strong working relationship with his new manager.

working relationship — professional context

The two countries ended their diplomatic relationship after years of disagreement.

diplomatic relationship — between countries

Common collocations
  • working relationship
  • diplomatic relationship
  • professional relationship
  • personal relationship
  • business relationship
  • international relationship
  • strained relationship
Synonyms
  • rapport

    emphasises mutual trust and understanding, often in professional settings

  • bond

    implies a deeper emotional attachment formed over time

  • dealings

    more transactional and formal, focusing on exchanges rather than feelings

Antonyms
  • estrangement

    a state where people who were once close have become distant

  • hostility

    active opposition or unfriendliness between parties

Grammar Patterns

[adjective] relationship with [someone]

relationship between [people/groups]

Usage Note

Commonly paired with adjectives that describe the quality of the connection, such as 'close,' 'good,' 'strained,' 'professional,' or 'working.' For formal or distant interactions, 'diplomatic' or 'business' is used.

Common Mistakes

I have a good relation with my coworkers.
I have a good relationship with my coworkers.
For interpersonal connections, 'relationship' is the standard word; 'relation' is rarely used this way.
We need to improve our relationship between each other.
We need to improve our relationship with each other.
'Relationship between X and Y' compares two named groups; 'relationship with' links a subject to one other party.

3. A close romantic or sexual connection between two people who are dating or invol

3.nounA2
Definition

A close romantic or sexual connection between two people who are dating or involved with each other.

Example

Sirin and Theo have been in a relationship for nearly three years.

in a relationship — common collocation

After dating for six months, Megan and Tyler decided to make their relationship official.

Common collocations
  • romantic relationship
  • serious relationship
  • long-term relationship
  • committed relationship
  • abusive relationship
  • healthy relationship
Synonyms
  • romance

    focuses more on love and passion than the partnership itself

  • partnership

    more formal; can refer to romantic or business connections

  • affair

    implies a secret or temporary romantic relationship, often outside an existing partnership

Antonyms
  • breakup

    the end of a romantic relationship

  • separation

    a period or state of being apart, often before a formal end

Grammar Patterns

be in a relationship with [someone]

have a relationship with [someone]

Usage Note

Typically used with the verb 'be in' (be in a relationship) or 'start/end/have a relationship.' For married couples, 'marriage' is more specific and commonly used instead.

Common Mistakes

They are in a relation.
They are in a relationship.
'Relation' is never used for romantic partnerships; always use 'relationship.'
We have a relationship for two years.
We have been in a relationship for two years.
Use 'be in a relationship' with duration, not 'have a relationship.'

4. A complicated connection with someone or something that involves both strong pos

4.nounB2
Definition

A complicated connection with someone or something that involves both strong positive and strong negative feelings at the same time.

Example

Nala has a love-hate relationship with social media — she loves connecting but hates the distraction.

love-hate relationship with [something]

Many long-distance runners develop a love-hate relationship with early morning training.

Common collocations
  • love-hate relationship
  • complex relationship
  • difficult relationship
Synonyms
  • mixed feelings

    less intense and more general; describes any combination of positive and negative emotions

  • ambivalence

    formal term for holding conflicting emotions about something at the same time

Grammar Patterns

have a love-hate relationship with [someone/something]

Usage Note

Almost always used as the fixed expression 'love-hate relationship.' The compound adjective is hyphenated. This sense rarely appears without the 'love-hate' modifier.

Common Mistakes

She has a love and hate relationship with her job.
She has a love-hate relationship with her job.
The compound adjective 'love-hate' requires a hyphen, not 'and.'
My relationship with coffee is love-hate.
I have a love-hate relationship with coffee.
The standard structure places 'love-hate' before 'relationship' as a compound modifier.

5. A connection between people who share the same family, through blood, marriage,

5.nounB1
Definition

A connection between people who share the same family, through blood, marriage, or adoption.

Example

Sivan has a close relationship with his cousin, almost like brothers.

close relationship — family context

The social worker drew a diagram showing all the family relationships on the tree.

Common collocations
  • family relationship
  • blood relationship
  • close relationship
  • distant relationship
  • legal relationship
Synonyms
  • kinship

    formal term for family connection, often used in anthropology or legal contexts

  • blood tie

    specifically refers to genetic or birth-family connections

  • family connection

    the most general and neutral alternative

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

relationship to [someone]

relationship between [people]

Usage Note

Often followed by 'to' when naming a specific family member (relationship to my grandfather) or 'between' for comparing two people's positions on a family tree. Do not use 'relationship' to refer to the person themselves — use 'relative' instead.

Common Mistakes

She is a close relationship of mine.
She is a close relative of mine.
A 'relationship' is the connection itself, not the person you are connected to.
What is your relationship with him?' (when asking about family)
What is your relationship to him?
Use 'to' for family connections.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

Relationship is the general term for how people feel and act toward each other. Rapport specifically emphasises mutual trust and understanding, often in professional or social settings — two colleagues might have good rapport after working together for years. Bond suggests a deeper emotional attachment built over time through shared experiences, such as the bond between a parent and child or between soldiers who served together. Connection is the broadest of the four, covering any link between people, from a brief meeting to a lifelong friendship. ✅ 'After months of collaboration, the team developed strong rapport.' ✅ 'The bond between the sisters grew stronger after they traveled across Europe together.'

relationship ↗rapportbond ↗connection ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in a relationship
  • out of a relationship
  • build a relationship
  • maintain a relationship
  • end a relationship
  • have a relationship with

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'relationship' comes from 'relation' (from Latin 'relatio' — a bringing back or reporting, based on 'referre,' meaning to carry back or report) plus the suffix '-ship' (from Old English '-scipe,' meaning the state or quality of being something). The term entered English in the mid-1600s, initially used for family connections. Over the following centuries, its meaning expanded to cover all kinds of links — between people, countries, and abstract ideas.