Phrasal verb
apply to sb/sth
Definition
phrasal verb. to be relevant to a person or a situation. you use this when a rule or a piece of information is about you or your case.
phrasal verb. to be relevant, pertinent, or applicable to a specific person, group, or set of circumstances. this is an intransitive phrasal verb followed by a prepositional object.
Examples
“These rules apply to everyone in the office.”
“The discount only applies to students who can show a valid university ID card.”
“The new environmental regulations apply to all manufacturing firms operating within the European Union, regardless of their country of origin.”
Examples
simple
“These rules apply to everyone in the office.”
contextual
“The discount only applies to students who can show a valid university ID card.”
complex
“The new environmental regulations apply to all manufacturing firms operating within the European Union, regardless of their country of origin.”
Usage
commonly used with rules, laws, conditions, or general statements.
Teaching tip
contrast with the transitive 'apply' (to put on or use) and 'apply for' (to request a job or position); this sense focuses on relevance and scope.
Pitfall
The law applies for everyone.
The law applies to everyone.
the preposition 'to' is required to indicate the target of the relevance; 'apply for' is used for requests.
Phrasal verb
Particles
to
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
apply + to + object