relevant
REH-luh-vuhnt
Relevant (adjective) means Closely connected to or important for the subject being discussed. Example: “Please only include information relevant to the case.”
adjective
1
Closely connected to or important for the subject being discussed.
"Please only include information relevant to the case."
"His experience in marketing is highly relevant to this role."
"Only a few of the documents were actually relevant to the question we were asked."
2
Still important or applicable in current circumstances; up to date.
"The band has managed to stay relevant for three decades."
"Teachers try to keep their lessons relevant by using examples from pupils' everyday lives."
"Is this old training manual still relevant now that the software has changed?"
How to use relevant
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishConnected to what matters right now, or still worth paying attention to.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "relevant" meaning "reliable" — it's about connection to a topic, not trustworthiness.
Common pairings
relevant information
stay relevant
relevant to
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more relevant
- Superlative
- most relevant
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Please only include information _____ to the case.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin relevans, present participle of relevare, "to lift up, lighten, relieve" — the word first meant "legally pertinent" in Scots law before spreading into general English.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for relevant
See all rhymes for relevant →Frequently asked questions
What does “relevant” mean?
The word “relevant” means closely connected to or important for the subject being discussed. In plain terms, connected to what matters right now, or still worth paying attention to.
How do you pronounce “relevant”?
“Relevant” is pronounced REH-luh-vuhnt (/ˈɹɛləvənt/ in IPA).
How do you use “relevant” in a sentence?
Here is “relevant” used in a sentence: “Please only include information relevant to the case.”
What is another word for “relevant”?
Words with a similar meaning to “relevant” include germane, in point, pertinent and salient.
What is the opposite of “relevant”?
The opposite of “relevant” — its antonyms — is irrelevant.
What part of speech is “relevant”?
“Relevant” is an adjective.
Where does the word “relevant” come from?
The word “relevant” comes from Latin. Borrowed from Latin relevans, present participle of relevare, "to lift up, lighten, relieve" — the word first meant "legally pertinent" in Scots law before spreading into general English.
Is “relevant” a common word?
“Relevant” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
What is the difference between relevant and related?
Related simply means there is some connection between two things. Relevant goes further: the connection actually matters to the matter at hand. A fact can be related to a topic yet still be irrelevant if it adds nothing useful. Relevance is about importance and bearing, not just loose association.
What is the opposite of relevant?
The direct opposite is irrelevant, meaning something has no bearing on the subject being discussed. Related words include immaterial, unrelated, and beside the point. Calling information irrelevant does not mean it is false — only that it does not help with, or matter to, the question actually being considered.
Why is relevance important?
Relevance keeps discussion, writing, and decisions focused on what actually matters. Information that is accurate but irrelevant wastes time and distracts from the real issue. In search, law, and everyday argument alike, judging relevance — what genuinely bears on the subject — is what separates useful material from noise.
What is an example of relevant?
If you are assessing a candidate for a software job, their coding experience is relevant, while their favourite colour is not. Both are true facts about the person, but only the first is closely connected to and important for the subject being decided, which is exactly what makes it relevant.
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