relationship
Bond between people
A relationship is a connection between people or things.
The word often implies a romantic or sexual partnership: Are you in a relationship?
But relationships exist wherever there's a meaningful link—between family members, friends, colleagues, or countries.
You might examine the relationship between cause and effect, or between income and happiness.
The nature of the connection shapes what kind of relationship it is.
Binding tie or connection
- tieEqual score, or neckwear
- linkPoint of connection
- affinityNatural liking or attraction
- rapportHarmonious mutual connection
closeness · intimacy · attachment · understanding · chemistry · spark · resonance · warmth
Intense fond attachment
- intimacyEmotional closeness between people
- passionIntense emotional drive
- courtshipSeeking another's romantic favor
- datingPursuing romantic connections
marriage · partnership · chemistry · attraction · commitment · engagement · infatuation · honeymoon
Professional associate
- mentorshipGuidance from experienced person
- networkingBuilding professional relationships
- clienteleCollective body of customers
- supervisoryPertaining to oversight duties
subordinate · stakeholder · collaboration · partnership · hierarchy · coworker · manager · vendor
State of having company
- trustConfidence in another
- loyaltyFaithful commitment to another
- camaraderieGoodwill among companions
- bondingForming close connections
confidant · empathy · rapport · amity · buddy · pal · comrade · ally
Reciprocal reliance between entities
- reciprocityMutual exchange of actions
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
- powerEnergy transfer rate
- codependencyExcessive emotional reliance on another
boundaries · attachment · distance · toxic · healthy · dysfunction · nurturing · give-and-take
State of being related
- bloodlineAncestry through generations
- ancestryFamily line of descent
- siblingsFellow offspring
- parentsMother and father
children · clan · lineage · heritage · genealogy · descendants · paternity · maternity
State of fitting in
- solidarityUnity among allies
- participationAct of taking part
- membershipState of belonging
- neighborsThose dwelling nearby
congregation · collective · civic · tribal · cultural · intergenerational · grassroots · communal
bond
Binding tie or connection
rapport · closeness · intimacy · attachment · understanding · chemistry · spark · resonance · warmth · depth
love
Intense fond attachment
- intimacyEmotional closeness between people
- passionIntense emotional drive
- courtshipSeeking another's romantic favor
dating · marriage · partnership · chemistry · attraction · commitment · engagement · infatuation · honeymoon · spouse
colleague
Professional associate
- mentorshipGuidance from experienced person
- networkingBuilding professional relationships
- clienteleCollective body of customers
supervisory · subordinate · stakeholder · collaboration · partnership · hierarchy · coworker · manager · vendor · contractor
companionship
State of having company
- trustConfidence in another
- loyaltyFaithful commitment to another
- camaraderieGoodwill among companions
bonding · confidant · empathy · rapport · amity · buddy · pal · comrade · ally · fellowship
interdependence
Reciprocal reliance between entities
- reciprocityMutual exchange of actions
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
- powerEnergy transfer rate
codependency · boundaries · attachment · distance · toxic · healthy · dysfunction · nurturing · give-and-take · symbiotic
kinship
State of being related
parents · children · clan · lineage · heritage · genealogy · descendants · paternity · maternity · in-laws
belonging
State of fitting in
- solidarityUnity among allies
- participationAct of taking part
- membershipState of belonging
neighbors · congregation · collective · civic · tribal · cultural · intergenerational · grassroots · communal · reciprocal
- connectionslink, links, connect, connection, tie
- experiencesadventure, journey, moment, event, feeling
- personalspersonal ads, personals, SWM, classified ads, dating profile
- relationsconnection, link, linkage, reflexive, linking
- extended commitmentsmarathon, sabbatical, internship, apprenticeship, residency
- improvyes and, scenes, offer, accept, improv comedy
relationshipisolation
Complete separation from others
disconnection · separation · estrangement · detachment · alienation
relationshipbreakup
Romantic relationship's termination
divorce · split · dissolution · separation · parting
- interracial relationshipsRomance between different ethnicities
- in a relationshipCommitted to a partner
- long-term relationshipExtended romantic commitment
- open relationshipConsensual romantic nonexclusivity
- toxic relationshipsBonds causing emotional harm
- long term relationship
relationships, relationship anarchy, interrelationship, interrelationships, nonrelationship