How to use "be relevant to"

What Does "be relevant to" Mean?

The expression be relevant to is an adjective-preposition collocation used to indicate that something has a significant and logical connection to a specific matter, person, or situation. It suggests that the subject is applicable, pertinent, or important to the context at hand.

This expression is compositional, meaning its meaning is derived directly from the individual words: the verb "to be," the adjective "relevant" (bearing upon the matter), and the preposition "to" (indicating the target of the relationship). It is widely used across all registers, from neutral everyday conversation to highly formal academic, legal, and business writing.

How to Use It

The grammatical pattern for this expression is [Subject] + be + relevant + to + [Object]. The object is typically a noun or a noun phrase representing the topic, person, or group being affected.

Typical Objects: It often precedes nouns like investigations, decisions, people, generations, or contexts.
Separability: Because this is a collocation involving an adjective and a preposition (not a phrasal verb), the components cannot be "separated" in the traditional sense. However, adverbs of degree can be placed before the adjective (e.g., "be highly relevant to").
What sounds unnatural: Using the wrong preposition is the most common error. Phrases like "relevant with" or "relevant for" sound unidiomatic to native speakers. Additionally, using it with an object that has no logical connection to the subject will result in a semantic mismatch.

Real-World Examples

These examples are sourced from be relevant to on Ludwig.guru.

"Location can be relevant to its suitability." — theguardian.com

"Note to Brexiters: this might be relevant to you." — theguardian.com

"Pay attention, this could be relevant to later developments." — theguardian.com

"Not every question here will be relevant to your presentation." — hbr.org

"Only 'economic considerations' should be relevant to lending decisions." — economist.com

Similar Phrases and Alternatives

Phrase	Context
pertain to	More formal; usually used in legal or academic contexts to show a direct relationship.
relate to	A common, more versatile alternative that can function as a verb.
bear on	Formal phrasal verb often used when something influences a decision or outcome.
be applicable to	Suggests that a rule, law, or condition can be applied to a specific case.
have a bearing on	Idiomatic expression emphasizing the influence or effect one thing has on another.

Common Mistakes

Wrong Preposition: Learners often use the wrong preposition, such as 'relevant with' or 'relevant for', instead of the correct 'relevant to'.
Confusion with "Relative": Some learners mistakenly use the adjective "relative" (which implies a comparison) when they mean relevant (which implies a connection).

Quick-Reference Summary

Expression	Meaning	Grammatical Pattern	Register
be relevant to	To have a significant connection or importance to a matter	[Subject] + be + relevant + to + [Noun Phrase]	Neutral to Formal

FAQs

Can the words in be relevant to be separated by other words?

Yes, you can place adverbs between the verb and the adjective or between the adjective and the preposition to modify the intensity. For example, you can say something "is highly relevant to" or "is not particularly relevant to" a topic.

What is the difference between be relevant to and pertain to?

While both indicate a connection, pertain to is a formal verb often used in legal or technical documentation. In contrast, be relevant to is a more common adjective-preposition collocation that is suitable for both professional reports and casual conversation.

Should I use the preposition with or for after the word relevant?

Neither is considered standard; learners often use the wrong preposition, such as 'relevant with' or 'relevant for', instead of the correct relevant to. Always use the preposition "to" to ensure your writing sounds natural and remains grammatically accurate.

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