relevance

noun

rel·​e·​vance ˈre-lə-vən(t)s 

1

a

: relation to the matter at hand

b

: practical and especially social applicability : pertinence

giving relevance to college courses

2

: the ability (as of an information retrieval system) to retrieve material that satisfies the needs of the user

Synonyms

• relevancy

Examples of relevance in a Sentence

I appreciate that you did the dishes tonight, but that has no relevance to my enforcement of the punishment you got earlier this week.

Recent Examples on the Web

For a business struggling to maintain relevance, the benefits of an Emmy roadblock, touting TV’s best to the widest audience possible, are enormous. —Michael Schneider, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025

This also presents an opportunity for Europe to turn strongly towards renewables and develop more nuclear, wind, and water infrastructure in order to fully account for the gap which would further erode Russia’s relevance in that market. —Earl Carr, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025

Brenda Berger, chief executive officer of Hanky Panky, noted that the collaboration mirrors the brand’s goal to balance heritage design with cultural relevance. —Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2025

The Aeneid has a special relevance for the United States, a country founded by immigrants who fled from earlier homelands, often believing that divine providence justified their claim on a land already inhabited by many distinct groups of indigenous peoples. —Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1787, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for relevance

• irrelevance

Kids Definition

relevance

noun

rel·​e·​vance ˈrel-ə-vən(t)s 

: relation to the matter at hand : pertinence

Legal Definition

relevance

noun

rel·​e·​vance ˈre-lə-vəns 

: the quality or state of being relevant : relation to the matter at hand

ruled on the relevance of the testimony

relevance in discovery has been broadly interpreted