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sexual relationship

sexual relationship

94 3.2
A relationship between two people who have sex with each other
  • noun
  • /ˈsɛkʃuəl rɪˈleɪʃənʃɪp/
  • NSFW
translation icon : relación sexual
  • You are aware that your daughter was having a sexual relationship with her boyfriend, hmm?
  • partners in sexual relationships
  • engage in sexual relationships
  • enter into sexual relationships

And they may also ask you about past sexual relationships and partners.

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Examples

  • Many couples find that communication is key to maintaining a healthy sexual relationship.

  • And they may also ask you about past sexual relationships and partners.

  • There is no sexual relationship, which means we are never alone, me and my partner.

  • Are you currently involved in or have you ever had a sexual relationship with a minor?

  • Friends appear to continue to play an important role over the course of a dating or sexual relationship.

    Academic text (2004)
  • Marriage, after all, is the social institution in which a private sexual relationship receives public recognition.

    Academic text (2011)
  • How would you feel if your widowed mother started a new sexual relationship?

    Academic text (2011)
  • Extramarital sexual relationships with the consent of one's partner are being accepted by some.

    Academic text (2004)
  • Research has also examined how religion influences the attitudes and behaviors of adults in sexual relationships.

    Academic text (2011)
  • He's had a longstanding sexual relationship with his co-editor of the magazine.

Synonyms

sexual relation
vssexual relationship
  • NSFW
62 3.4

Sex between people, for example in a romantic or casual relationship

is the broader relational term covering partners with sexual activity
love affair
vssexual relationship
  • NSFW
46 3.6

A secret romantic or sexual relationship between two people

focuses on physical contact without romance or secrecy
involvement
vssexual relationship
  • NSFW
44 7.5

A secret sexual relationship often with someone outside marriage

is the neutral term for partners without suggesting secrecy
intimacy
vssexual relationship
  • NSFW
32 6.7

A secret sexual relationship between two people

is the neutral phrase for sexual contact without secrecy or illicitness
liaison
vssexual relationship
  • NSFW
14 7.3

A secret sexual relationship between two people, often when one is married

is the broader neutral phrase for any partnership involving sexual activity

Antonyms

31 6.1

Close and caring without sexual or romantic feelings

How Sexual

sexual relationship
  • NSFW
94 3.2
love life
  • NSFW
54 3.4

Surface Forms

Morphology

sexual + relationship

The adjective 'sexual' directly modifies 'relationship' to indicate a relationship that involves sexual intimacy; both constituent words retain their literal meanings and combine in a predictable, compositional way. This is a common, cross-linguistically transparent modifier-noun construction that a B1 learner who knows both words would readily understand.

Etymology

Sexual relationship comes from the words sexual (about 'have sex') and relationship (a connection between two people). So it means a relationship where the people also 'have sex'.