A runner must pass the baton in a relay race.
Source: tatoeba (29660)
Relay
/ˈɹiːleɪ/
Synonyms for "relay" (270 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (54)
adderair racealternatoranalytical control unitanalyzeranchor watchanodeapolloarmatureassignautoconverterautomobile raceautostarterautotransformerbattery chargerbicycle racebitboat racebrushcap
Show 19 more words
capacitorcarry overcathodechargerchoking coilcodercoilcollatorcommunicatecommutatorcompensatorcompilercomponentcomputercondenserconsigncontest of speedcontrollerconverter
Noun(9 words)
Strong matches (81)
Noun(12 words)
conveyingcoveysdata signalelectrical relayexchange informationferryingforwardinghandoffhophopsintermediarymeans of communication
couplingcross-country racecutoutdashday shiftdecoderdeliverdeportderbydetectordevicedifferentialdiffusedisseminatedistributordividerdog racedogwatchdrag racedynamo
Show 45 more words
dynamotorelectrical parts and deviceselectrodeelectrophoruselectroscopeendurance raceexpelexportextraditefootracefull timefusegalvanic pilegalvanoscopegeminigeneratorgraveyard shiftgridgroundhalf timehand forwardhand onhand overheathurdle raceignitionimpartimportinductorinsulatorintegratorinterrupterjumperlaple manslightning rodlobster trickmagnetmagnetomagnetoscopemake overmarathonmarathon racematch racememory tubes
Related words (135)
Noun(22 words)
messengermore communicatedpass onpass the batonproxiesproxyradiosrelay racerepeaterrepeatersrodsend onwardshuttlestream dataswitchtechnology mediatedtelemetertransferringtransmittransmit electrical energy
Show 2 more words
metastasizemetathesizemotor-generatormotorcycle racemultipliernight shiftobstacle raceoscillatoroscilloscopeoutletovertimepart timepartspasspass onpass overpass the buckperfusephase discriminatorpile
Show 84 more words
plugpocketpointsposition coderpotato raceprinterprobepush buttonracereactorreceptaclereceptorrectifierregattarelay raceresistance boxresistorrheostatroad racerunsack racesatelliteselectorself-starterselsynshiftshuntsocketspace probespacecraftspark coilspark plugspeedway racespellsplit schedulesplit shiftspreadsprintsprint racestarterstep-down transformerstintstock-car racestorage unitsubstitutesunrise watchswing shiftswitchsynchronous convertersystem componentstapterminalthree-legged racetimetime switchtimertoggle switchtorch racetourtour of dutytrack racetransfertransfer propertytransformertransfusetranslatetranslocatetransmittransmittertransplacetransplanttransposetricktrickle chargerturnturn of workturn overvoltage changervoltage regulatorvoltage transformerwalkwatchwork shiftyacht race
Determiner(1 words)
more exchange
Verb(8 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: adder, air race, alternator, analytical control unit, analyzer.
- Sentence evidence is available for relay, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "relay".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "relay"
Keep "relay" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "relay" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "relay", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "relay" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
18 entriescommunicatecommunicationcontrolelectrical devicehanding overoperatepasspass alongpass onpassagepersonput acrossraceshiftsports equipmentteam
Showing 16 of 18 words.
More specific
13 entriesbaton handoffcoil relayconvey factscourierdeliver messageexchange batonliaisonmetal batonpass on instructionsplastic batonrepeatretransmitsolid state relay
Collocations
11 entriesrelay a messagerelay batonrelay circuitrelay datarelay informationrelay racerelay signalsrelay stationrelay switchrelay teamrelay the baton
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
3 entriesTranslations
6 translations across 3 languages.
Galician
1 entries- remudas noun (competition between teams where members of a team take turns completing parts of a course or performing a certain action — see also relay race)
Hungarian
4 entries- staféta noun (competition between teams where members of a team take turns completing parts of a course or performing a certain action — see also relay race)
- váltó noun (competition between teams where members of a team take turns completing parts of a course or performing a certain action — see also relay race)
- váltóverseny noun (competition between teams where members of a team take turns completing parts of a course or performing a certain action — see also relay race)
- váltóúszás noun (competition between teams where members of a team take turns completing parts of a course or performing a certain action — see also relay race)
Polish
1 entries- sztafeta noun (competition between teams where members of a team take turns completing parts of a course or performing a certain action — see also relay race)
Sample sentences
15 total sentences available.
She thought of the fine autumn day when she had rushed home from school with the good news; she was chosen to be on the relay team.
Source: tatoeba (317460)
We're one baton short for the relay.
Source: tatoeba (328653)
Data from Hubble are relayed to the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) that is in a geosynchronous orbit above Earth. This satellite relays the data to a terminal in White Sands, New Mexico.
Source: tatoeba (3958140)
Showing 4 of 15 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "relay"?
Closest matches include adder, air race, alternator, analytical control unit, analyzer.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "relay"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.