1 C1 formal
To be relevant to or connected with a situation, argument, or decision. (Formal)
"The judge noted that several documents bore upon the central issue of the trial."
inseparable
bear upon
C1 formal inseparable transitive
To be relevant to something; to exert pressure or influence on a person or situation. (Formal variant of 'bear on')
In plain English
To have something to do with a situation, or to press on something.
What does "bear upon" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic formal
To exert moral, emotional, or physical pressure upon someone or something. (Literary/formal)
"The guilt of his silence bore upon him more heavily each passing year."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To bear (carry/press) weight upon something — to rest relevantly on it.
Actually means
To have something to do with a situation, or to press on something.
Usage tip
The formal and literary counterpart of 'bear on.' Common in academic, legal, and philosophical writing. Rarely used in everyday speech, where 'relate to,' 'affect,' or 'apply to' would be preferred.
Words that pair with "bear upon"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
question issue case matter decision argument
How to conjugate "bear upon"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
bear upon
I/you/we/they
3rd person
bears upon
he/she/it
Past simple
bore upon
yesterday
Past participle
born/borne upon
have + pp
-ing form
bearing upon
continuous
Hear "bear upon" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "bear upon" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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