A precise related synonym spells out the sort of link between two things. Connected and linked are all-purpose, associated suits research, relevant or pertinent means it bears on the topic, and akin or kindred points to family or deep likeness.
Related can be a verb as well, from relate, as in "she related the whole story." The page covers that verb sense too, along with easy replacements for the phrase related to, a phrase that crowds reports and job ads.
Swatch at a glance
Best swaps
connected, linked, associated, relevant, akinPart of speech
Adjective; past tense of relateMost formal
pertinent, germane, cognateMost casual
tied to, goes with, has to do withFor research
associated with, correlated withAntonyms
unrelated, unconnected, irrelevantWatch out
Correlated is a statistics term. Do not use it unless you mean two things rise or fall together.
Tied to at one end, pertinent at the other
Those top chips climb a ladder of formality. Tied to is spoken and direct. Linked is neutral and loved by news writers. Connected is a touch broader and fits feelings as well as facts. Associated is cautious, the safe pick in science, because it claims a link without claiming a cause. Pertinent, the top rung, means relevant to the matter at hand.
Germane is even more formal, and it mostly appears in legal or academic prose: "That point is not germane to the debate."
Family words: kin, akin and in-laws
When related means part of one family, the plain wording is best: "We are related" or "We are family." Kin is old-fashioned in daily speech but common in phrases like next of kin. Akin today mostly means similar: "a feeling akin to fear." For marriage links, use in-laws or related by marriage. Blood relative stresses birth rather than marriage.
A form asks: "Are you related to any staff member?" A friendlier rewrite for a website: "Do you have family working here?" It means the same, but nobody has to puzzle over the word.
Careful with these near matches
Similar means alike, not linked; two strangers can look similar. Relevant means useful for this topic, so related but irrelevant detail is possible. Dependent claims one thing relies on another, which is stronger than related. Relative as an adjective means compared to something else, as in relative cost, so it is not a swap.
Frequently asked questions
For formal writing, which swap for related works best?
Pertinent and germane are the most formal when you mean relevant. For a link between facts, associated is formal but still easy to read.
Can I swap related for connected every time?
In most sentences, yes. Connected can sound vague in research writing, where associated or correlated says more precisely what you found.
How do I avoid writing related to so often?
Use about, on, regarding or concerning, or turn the topic into a modifier: safety issues instead of issues related to safety.
Does akin mean related?
Akin can mean of the same family, but today it mostly means similar in nature. A feeling akin to panic is a feeling close to panic.
Unrelated aside, what antonyms of related exist?
Unrelated, unconnected and irrelevant are the main ones. Separate and distinct fit for two things that sit apart on purpose.
What does related mean in he related the story?
There it is the past tense of relate and means told. Recounted, described and narrated are good swaps.