pertain
Americanverb (used without object)
-
pertains,
present (3rd person singular)
-
pertained,
past participle, past
-
pertaining
present participle
-
to have reference or relation; relate.
documents pertaining to the lawsuit.
-
to belong or be connected as a part, adjunct, possession, or attribute.
-
to belong properly or fittingly; be appropriate.
verb
-
to have reference, relation, or relevance
issues pertaining to women
-
to be appropriate
the product pertains to real user needs
-
to belong (to) or be a part (of); be an adjunct, attribute, or accessory (of)
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
pertainsimple
-
pertainssimple
-
have pertainedperfect
-
has pertainedperfect
-
am pertainingprogressive
-
are pertainingprogressive
-
is pertainingprogressive
-
have been pertainingperfect progressive
-
has been pertainingperfect progressive
Past
-
pertainedsimple
-
had pertainedperfect
-
was pertainingprogressive
-
were pertainingprogressive
-
had been pertainingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of pertain
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English pertenen, partenen, perteinen, from Middle French partein-, stem of partenir, from Latin pertinēre “to be applicable,” literally, “to hold through, reach,” equivalent to per- per- + -tinēre, combining form of tenēre “to hold”
Explanation
To pertain is to be relevant or somehow associated with something. If you're a lawyer, you try to find evidence that will pertain to the case and eliminate anything that is not connected. Behind the verb pertain lies the Latin verb pertinēre, which means "to be applicable" or "to hold through." If you think the rules of the road don't pertain to you, try explaining that to the state trooper when you get pulled over. Usage note: The word pertain often takes an s at the end, as in "That pertains to this matter," but loses it with a helper: “That doesn’t pertain to it.”
Vocabulary lists containing pertain
Vocabulary from the Magna Carta on its 800th Anniversary
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Stamped
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Merle Haggard (1937-2016) Tribute List
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The proposed changes pertain to a 2023 rule designed to tamp down NOx -- shorthand for nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide -- from truck tailpipes, beginning with model year 2027.
From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026
All of these estate-planning documents pertain to adults over the age of 18, so Trust & Will’s survey starts with Generation Z, whose members are now between the ages of 16 and 29.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 14, 2026
Budget reconciliation is governed by strict rules, enforced by a strict parliamentarian, requiring that reconciliation items pertain to taxes and spending.
From Slate ● Mar. 24, 2026
Yet the most haunting contested claim of Moy’s life did not pertain to music.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026
So I sit at the table in the kitchen and practice new vocabulary, purposely saying out loud the words that pertain to cooking.
From "Piecing Me Together" by Renée Watson
The concept of "associate membership", he added, is something that is not clearly understood as it pertains to Canada.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
It only pertains to new EVs with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $50,000 or less and used EVs sold through a manufacturer’s pre-owned vehicle program at $25,000 or less.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
The elegiac tone of “Liberty Valance” pertains to both its subject and its cinematic era, as it came amid the final fading of classic Hollywood.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
The first executive order pertains to the development of what a senior White House official calls “the first-ever quantum computer powerful enough for scientific research.”
From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026
Select loose, upbeat, uplifting music, or music that pertains in some way to the course or topic that day.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
“This does not seem to be consistent with some of the stated aims of the RBA review as it pertained to transparency around decision making.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026
Every other question during the 45 minutes the agent stood onstage pertained to the hiring process or what we could expect in training.
From Slate ● Jan. 13, 2026
Most of these concerns pertained to last year, too, yet the market rose.
From Barron's ● Jan. 9, 2026
Now, 11 days after the attack, it has conceded that some data has been impacted but declined to say exactly who the information pertained to, such as customers, suppliers or JLR itself.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2025
As with all matters that pertained to the Negro’s safety, education, economic mobility, political power, and humanity, the black press put their readers’ mixed feelings about the war on full display.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
The concept of modernizing is not new when it comes to Cole’s, especially pertaining to the dip.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026
She asked to receive copies of communications between reporters and university employees pertaining to herself and to Belichick.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
The agency "does not divulge protected, sensitive, or classified information pertaining to the termination of legal status of foreign nationals", state department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
Pitt’s legal team previously attempted to depose Stoli executive Alexey Oliynik in 2025, claiming that he had relevant information pertaining to the Jolie deal.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
The choir was summoned and sang a modern arrangement of “Onward, Christian Soldiers,” with new words pertaining to graduates seeking their place in the world.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
