by relation to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "by relation to" is not commonly used in written English and may sound awkward in some contexts.
It can be used when discussing connections or comparisons between two or more subjects, but it is often better to use more standard expressions. Example: "The findings of this study should be evaluated by relation to previous research in the field."

Science

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Insofar as the notion of the American avoirdupois pound has any official meaning, it is by relation to the kilogram, of which, by law, it is 0.45359237.

The New Yorker

By examining the imported Egyptian objects contained in each level, Petrie was able to link Palestinian chronology with that of Egypt, thus establishing the general principle that the growth of the Middle Eastern sites can be interpreted in terms of the stratigraphic levels, which must ultimately be dated by relation to Egypt or some other country with an established chronology.

Britannica

Alston knows that the notion of a nontemporal God who is qualified by relation to temporal beings will strike Hartshorne as unintelligible.

SEP

At least some of the members of the set have to possess some degree of credibility or justification independent of the rest and thus by relation to direct experience, sensory or memorial.

SEP

If there is, in fact, a distinguishable privileged frame of reference in which the laws of mechanics take on a specially simple form, without that frame being determined in any way by relation to the matter distribution, a realist will find it hard to resist the temptation to view motions described in that frame as the 'true' or 'absolute' motions.

SEP

Arnauld quotes Malebranche: "Assuming that God wills to produce outside of Himself a work worthy of Himself, He is not indifferent in the choice; He ought to produce the most perfect work possible by relation to the simplicity of the ways by which He acts; He owes it to Himself to follow the rules of his wisdom" (Quoted by Arnauld at Réflexions, OA, 39 598, from TNG, OM, 5: 110).

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Matrix factorization is a latent factor model and describes both items and users of a recommender system by relations to a small number of latent factors [33].

Computational Social Networks

The view that the content of a mental representation is determined by its inferential/computational relations with all other representations is holism; the view it is determined by relations to only some other mental states is localism (or molecularism).

SEP

First, under Williams' conception, the nature of a trope is a non-reducible, intrinsic matter that is not determined by relations to anything else, including resemblance relations to other tropes or memberships in various natural classes of tropes.

SEP

The common good is inconceivable apart from membership in a society, and the self that is to be realised through moral activity "determined, characterised, made what it is by relations to others"s.

City, Territory and Architecture

According to conceptual atomism, the content of a concept isn't determined by its relation to other concepts but by its relation to the world.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing, favor more common and direct alternatives like "in relation to" or "with respect to" for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "by relation to" in casual conversation or informal writing, as it can sound overly formal or unnatural. Simpler phrasing is usually preferable.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "by relation to" functions as a prepositional phrase indicating a connection, comparison, or dependency between two or more entities. It modifies a noun or verb by specifying the relationship.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

Encyclopedias

16%

News & Media

34%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "by relation to" is used to establish connections or comparisons, similar to phrases like "in relation to" or "with respect to". While grammatically acceptable, Ludwig AI suggests that it's less common than its alternatives and may sound overly formal in casual contexts. It most often appears in science, encyclopedias, and news & media. For clarity and naturalness, consider using more standard phrasing in everyday writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

relative to

Directly indicates a comparison against a specific reference point.

in terms of

Focuses on the specific aspect or measurement being used for comparison or connection.

with respect to

Highlights the particular element or factor being considered in the relationship.

in connection with

Emphasizes the link or association between two or more things.

in comparison to

Highlights the act of comparing one thing directly against another.

compared with

Implies a direct comparison, often to highlight differences or similarities.

with regard to

Similar to "with respect to", but can imply a broader consideration.

in light of

Suggests considering something in the context of new information or understanding.

depending on

Indicates that one thing varies based on another.

considering

Implies taking something into account when making a judgment or assessment.

FAQs

What does "by relation to" mean?

The phrase "by relation to" indicates a connection, comparison, or dependency between two or more things. It's similar to saying "in relation to" or "with respect to".

How can I use "by relation to" in a sentence?

You can use "by relation to" to show how one thing is affected or determined by another. For example: "The weight of the object was determined "relative to" its volume".

Are there alternatives to "by relation to"?

Yes, you can use phrases like "in relation to", "with respect to", "in terms of", or ""relative to"" depending on the context.

Is "by relation to" grammatically correct?

While grammatically acceptable, "by relation to" is less common than alternatives like "in relation to". Ludwig AI suggests using these more standard expressions for better clarity.