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 of relevance

• 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

Director James Cameron has been touting the relevance of the 1991 film to the current debate over the role of AI superintelligence. — Eric E. Harrison, Arkansas Online, 23 July 2026

Precision of relevance is the only personalization that earns genuine engagement. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

The study ultimately suggests that pressure isn’t what’s keeping insects out of open oceans, and their findings regarding resilin could hold relevance for material science. — Margherita Bassi, Popular Science, 23 July 2026

For many fashion students or recently graduated job hunters, the enduring relevance of formal interviews comes as a relief. — Cami Fateh, Vogue, 22 July 2026

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