pertain
Americanverb (used without object)
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to have reference or relation; relate.
documents pertaining to the lawsuit.
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to belong or be connected as a part, adjunct, possession, or attribute.
-
to belong properly or fittingly; be appropriate.
verb
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to have reference, relation, or relevance
issues pertaining to women
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to be appropriate
the product pertains to real user needs
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to belong (to) or be a part (of); be an adjunct, attribute, or accessory (of)
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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pertainsimple
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pertainssimple
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have pertainedperfect
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has pertainedperfect
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am pertainingprogressive
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are pertainingprogressive
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is pertainingprogressive
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have been pertainingperfect progressive
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has been pertainingperfect progressive
Past
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pertainedsimple
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had pertainedperfect
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was pertainingprogressive
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were pertainingprogressive
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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
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Stamped
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Merle Haggard (1937-2016) Tribute List
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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:
No allegations are known to pertain to the improper access of customer information.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
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
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 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
An aspect that’s similar between Bertei’s accounts and Andy Beta’s storytelling about Alice Coltrane is that Bertei is unflinchingly honest but does not offer judgment unless it pertains to herself.
From Salon ● Apr. 14, 2026
“Arco” defies dismissing, however, especially as it pertains to what lies in store for humanity.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 23, 2026
Like most people in the Midwest, Embryo doesn’t believe in humor, especially when it pertains to sensitive subjects.
From "All The Bright Places" by Jennifer Niven
Federal prosecutors in the state capital of Sacramento were handling the investigations, one of which pertained to Newsom's wife's taxes, and another related to Newsom's former chief of staff, the individual said.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
“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
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 evidence, pertaining to both Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents, was turned over in expedited discovery ordered by U.S.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
The Academies claims its report is “relevant to policy and legal decisions pertaining to climate change and liability for losses sustained as a result of extreme weather and climate events.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
"Kenyans had no knowledge of the state of affairs pertaining the preliminary agreement."
From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026
Trump said on social media on Saturday that he had a "very good call" with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and others about a "Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE".
From BBC ● May 25, 2026
This letter is to inform you that there’s been an incident pertaining to your child Ella Durand.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
Definitions 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.
