Relation vs. Relationship — What's the Difference?

By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 13, 2023

Relation refers to a connection or association between things; Relationship implies a connection between people, often emotional or social in nature.

Relation vs. Relationship — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Relation and Relationship

Key Differences

Relation usually infers a linkage or association between two or more entities or concepts, emphasizing a kind of connection or correspondence. In contrast, Relationship, while also noting a connection, typically dives deeper into an emotional, social, or other interpersonal connection between individuals.

Relation could express a more logical or formal connection, and might not necessarily imply a deep or emotional link, often being utilized to express tangible or objectively observable connections or affiliations. On the flip side, Relationship often implies a deeper, more complex, or emotionally-infused connection between two entities, frequently individuals, which may encompass feelings, experiences, or interactions.

When you talk about a relation, you might be discussing how two elements are connected or correlate in terms of functionality, characteristics, or properties. In contrast, when discussing a relationship, you’re more likely addressing a connection between people, which could encompass emotions, shared experiences, or interpersonal interactions, suggesting a more personal connection.

In mathematics, "relation" is employed to describe a connection between sets or different elements within a set, indicating how one entity relates to another in a functional or positional manner. However, "relationship" is often reserved for contexts where a personal, typically emotional connection between people is the focus, and it is not customarily used in a mathematical or logical context.

In a business context, a relation might describe a formal association between entities or concepts, such as the relation between supply and demand. Whereas, a relationship in a business context might refer to the interaction and emotional connection between individuals or groups, such as the relationship between a manager and their team or between a business and its customers.

Comparison Chart

Primary Application

Often pertains to things or concepts.

Primarily pertains to people.

Emotional Involvement

Typically lacks emotional depth.

Commonly involves emotional or social connections.

Usage in Context

More formal or logical connections.

More likely to involve interpersonal interactions.

Examples of Application

Scientific, mathematical, or business contexts.

Personal, professional, or social contexts involving individuals.

Depth of Connection

Can denote a surface-level, logical connection.

Suggests a deeper, often more complex or layered connection.

Compare with Definitions

Relation

Relation can mean familial connections.

She is a distant relation of mine.

Relationship

Relationship might mean a romantic connection.

Their relationship blossomed over time.

Relation

Relation might denote a mathematical concept.

In mathematics, a relation can denote a link between two sets.

Relationship

Relationship implies an emotional connection between people.

Their relationship has always been strong.

Relation

Relation implies a connection between things.

The relation between diet and health is clear.

Relationship

Relationship denotes a social connection.

They have a wonderful father-daughter relationship.

Relation

Relation refers to how one thing affects another.

The relation between smoking and lung health is established.

Relationship

The condition or fact of being related; connection or association.

Relation

A logical or natural association between two or more things; relevance of one to another; connection

The relation between smoking and heart disease.

Relationship

Connection by blood or marriage; kinship.

Relation

The connection of people by blood or marriage; kinship.

Relationship

A particular type of connection existing between people related to or having dealings with each other

Has a close relationship with his siblings.

Relation

A person connected to another by blood or marriage; a relative.

Relationship

A romantic or sexual involvement.

Relation

The way in which one person or thing is connected with another

The relation of parent to child.

Relationship

Connection or association; the condition of being related.

Relation

The mutual dealings or connections of persons, groups, or nations in social, business, or diplomatic matters

International relations.

Relationship

(mathematics) The links between the x-values and y-values of ordered pairs of numbers especially coordinates.

Relation

Sexual intercourse.

Relationship

Kinship; being related by blood or marriage.

Relation

The act of telling or narrating.

Relationship

A romantic or sexual involvement.

They have been in a relationship for ten years, but have never married.

Relation

A narrative; an account.

Relationship

A way in which two or more people behave and are involved with each other

I have a good working relationship with my boss.

Relation

(Mathematics) A correspondence between two sets, consisting of a set of ordered pairs, the first element of each of which is from the first set, and the second element of each of which is from the second set. If A = {1,2} and B = {3,4}, then {(1,3), (1,4)} is a relation from A to B.

Relationship

(music) The level or degree of affinity between keys, chords and tones.

Relation

(Law) The principle by which an action done on a certain date is treated as having been done on an earlier date. Also called relation back.

Relationship

The state of being related by kindred, affinity, or other alliance.

Relation

The manner in which two things may be associated.

The relation between diet and health is complex.

Relationship

A relation between people; (`relationship' is often used where `relation' would serve, as in `the relationship between inflation and unemployment', but the preferred usage of `relationship' is for human relations or states of relatedness);

The relationship between mothers and their children

Relation

A member of one's extended family; a relative.

Yes, he's a relation of mine, but only a distant one.

Relationship

A state of connectedness between people (especially an emotional connection);

He didn't want his wife to know of the relationship

Relation

The act of relating a story.

Your relation of the events is different from mine.

Relationship

A state involving mutual dealings between people or parties or countries

Relation

(set theory) A set of ordered tuples.

Relationship

State of relatedness or connection by blood or marriage or adoption

Relation

(set theory) Specifically, a set of ordered pairs; a binary relation.

Equality is a symmetric relation, while divisibility is not.

Relationship

Relationship refers to how entities interact.

The relationship between predator and prey is complex.

Relation

(databases) A set of ordered tuples retrievable by a relational database; a table.

This relation uses the customer's social security number as a key.

Relationship

Relationship can imply a working interaction.

The relationship between the two departments is collaborative.

Relation

(mathematics) A statement of equality of two products of generators, used in the presentation of a group.

Relation

(category theory) A subobject of a product of objects.

Relation

(usually collocated: sexual relation) The act of intercourse.

Relation

The act of relating or telling; also, that which is related; recital; account; narration; narrative; as, the relation of historical events.

Oet's relation doth well figure them.

Relation

The state of being related or of referring; what is apprehended as appertaining to a being or quality, by considering it in its bearing upon something else; relative quality or condition; the being such and such with regard or respect to some other thing; connection; as, the relation of experience to knowledge; the relation of master to servant.

Any sort of connection which is perceived or imagined between two or more things, or any comparison which is made by the mind, is a relation.

Relation

Reference; respect; regard.

I have been importuned to make some observations on this art in relation to its agreement with poetry.

Relation

Connection by consanguinity or affinity; kinship; relationship; as, the relation of parents and children.

Relations dear, and all the charitiesOf father, son, and brother, first were known.

Relation

A person connected by cosanguinity or affinity; a relative; a kinsman or kinswoman.

For me . . . my relation does not care a rush.

Relation

The carrying back, and giving effect or operation to, an act or proceeding frrom some previous date or time, by a sort of fiction, as if it had happened or begun at that time. In such case the act is said to take effect by relation.

Relation

An abstraction belonging to or characteristic of two entities or parts together

Relation

The act of sexual procreation between a man and a woman; the man's penis is inserted into the woman's vagina and excited until orgasm and ejaculation occur

Relation

A person related by blood or marriage;

Police are searching for relatives of the deceased

He has distant relations back in New Jersey

Relation

An act of narration;

He was the hero according to his own relation

His endless recounting of the incident eventually became unbearable

Relation

(law) the principle that an act done at a later time is deemed by law to have occurred at an earlier time;

His attorney argued for the relation back of the ammended complaint to the time the initial complaint was filed

Relation

(usually plural) mutual dealings or connections among persons or groups;

International relations

Relation

Relation can indicate a state of being related.

The relation among all the data points was identified.

Common Curiosities

Can "relationship" involve entities other than people?

While primarily used for people, "relationship" can refer to interactions between entities like countries or organizations.

Can "relation" imply an emotional connection?

Generally, "relation" doesn’t imply an emotional connection and is more logical or formal.

Is "relation" typically used in a business or scientific context?

Yes, "relation" often pertains to logical or formal associations in business or scientific contexts.

Can "relationship" imply a business connection?

Yes, "relationship" can be used to describe business interactions, like customer relationships.

Can "relation" mean a familial tie?

Yes, "relation" can be used to describe being related to someone, like distant relations.

Can "relation" denote a cause-and-effect scenario?

Yes, "relation" can describe how one element affects or relates to another in a cause-and-effect manner.

Can "relation" suggest a logical connection?

Yes, "relation" often denotes a logical or functional connection between entities or concepts.

Can "relationship" be used in a logical or mathematical context?

Typically, "relationship" isn’t used in logical or mathematical contexts and is more emotional or social.

Does "relationship" always mean a romantic connection?

No, "relationship" can refer to any emotional, social, or professional connection between people.

Can "relation" be used to discuss mathematical concepts?

Yes, "relation" is often used in a mathematical context to denote a connection between sets or elements.

Is "relationship" utilized to describe emotional states?

Often, "relationship" is used to describe emotionally-driven connections and states between individuals.

Does "relation" suggest a deep, interpersonal connection?

Typically, "relation" doesn’t imply a deep, interpersonal connection and is more objective.

Is "relation" related to relativity in scientific terms?

Yes, "relation" in scientific contexts can discuss how entities relate or correspond to each other.

Can "relationship" suggest a familial connection?

Yes, "relationship" can denote familial connections, like parent-child relationships.

Is "relationship" likely to involve friendship?

Yes, "relationship" can refer to friendships, denoting a personal connection between friends.

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Author Spotlight

Written by

Tayyaba Rehman

Tayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.