to touch on
21
4.0
- phrasal verb
- Both were challenging a relatively minor law, but one that touched on fundamental quality of life issues for the oppressed population.
Examples
-
Allen's movie touches on some of the themes familiar to readers of Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov.
Academic text (1992) -
You've just watched a very powerful film that touches on one of the most sensitive issues in America.
-
And this does touch on some things that are personal and that are life lessons.
-
The old idea is that everything in the human experience touches on everything else.
-
And yes, it touches on all our hearts.
Blog text (15) -
The Behavior Systems Family provides students with personal and professional feedback, which often touches on sensitive areas.
Academic text (1999) -
Switchfoot's music touches on religious themes, and Shirley said faith plays an important part in each member's life.
Blog text (15) -
In contrast, defense oversight, particularly policy oversight, frequently touches on diplomatically sensitive issues.
Academic text (1990) -
Instead, lessons from the TCK community touch on the social, emotional, and other noncurricular parts of children's lives in school and at home.
Academic text (2008) -
The new policy touches on areas that affect employee satisfaction and productivity.
Synonyms
∞
3.0
To cause a change in a person or thing
305
3.4
To have a strong effect on someone or something
61
5.1
To be connected with or affect something
3
5.8
Have an effect on or relate to something
How Strong
478
3.4
305
3.4
545
2.2
∞
3.0
21
4.0
36
3.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
The verb 'touch' (make contact or cause an emotional response) combined with 'on' (targeting) gives a sensible metaphor of lightly contacting a topic or affecting something, so learners can partially infer it relates to mentioning or slightly affecting a subject. However, the specific pragmatic sense (briefly mention vs slightly influence) and the particle-verb combinational meaning are somewhat metaphorical and variable, so a B1 learner who only knows the parts may not predict the exact usage without prior exposure.
Etymology
Touch on may come from the idea that a small touch can cause a change. If you touch something on its surface and it moves a little, you see a small effect, so the phrase means 'to have an effect upon' even if only slightly.