Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Directly relevant or applicable to the matter at hand: "Pertinent" describes something that is precisely connected to and important for the current subject, discussion, or situation.
   • Appropriate and fitting: It can also mean being strikingly suitable or apt for a particular context.

Usage

• Use "pertinent" to describe information, questions, comments, or details that are directly on-topic and materially contribute to understanding an issue.
• It is a formal word commonly used in academic, legal, professional, and serious discussions to emphasize relevance.
• Structure: It is typically used attributively (before a noun) or predicatively (after a linking verb like "be" or "seem").
  • Attributive: a pertinent question
  • Predicative: Your comment is highly pertinent.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • The lawyer asked several pertinent questions that went straight to the heart of the case.
  • Please provide only the information pertinent to this application.
  • Her research was praised for its pertinent analysis of the economic data.

Advanced Usage

• "to be pertinent to something": This is the most common construction, used to specify what the relevance relates to.
  • These documents are not pertinent to the current investigation.
• "pertinent information/facts/details": A frequent collocation highlighting specific, relevant pieces of information.
  • The report summarizes all pertinent information for the board meeting.

Variants and Related Words

• Pertinence (noun): The quality of being pertinent; relevance.
  • The pertinence of his argument was undeniable.
• Pertinently (adverb): In a pertinent manner.
  • She pertinently observed that we had missed a key step.

Synonyms

• Relevant: Closely connected or appropriate.
• Apposite: Very appropriate or apt.
• Germane: Relevant to a subject in a significant way.
• Apropos: With reference to; concerning (often used to introduce a relevant comment).

Antonyms

• Irrelevant: Not connected with or relevant to something.
• Immaterial: Unimportant under the circumstances; irrelevant.
• Extraneous: Irrelevant or unrelated to the subject.

Idioms and Phrases

• "To the point": This idiom is a close synonym for "pertinent," meaning relevant and concise.
  • His remarks were brief and to the point. (Similar to: His remarks were pertinent.)

Adjective

1. being of striking appropriateness and pertinence
   • the successful copywriter is a master of apposite and evocative verbal images
   • an apt reply
2. having precise or logical relevance to the matter at hand
   • a list of articles pertinent to the discussion
   • remarks that were to the point