relevant

adjective

rel·​e·​vant ˈre-lə-vənt 

1

a

: relating in an appropriate way to something under consideration : having significant and demonstrable bearing on or relation to the matter at hand

a relevant question

relevant job experience

The mind forgets what is no longer relevant to our present.

—Viktor Mayer-Schönberger

… the task form will make recommendations for reform to relevant federal agencies …

—Melissa Quinn

b

law : providing evidence tending to prove or disprove the matter at issue or under discussion

relevant testimony

c

: having social relevance : related to things that have societal importance

The ideas expressed in the book are still relevant today.

How many artists in the rap game are relevant after 30 years?

—Kory Grow

d

: having a reasonable chance of succeeding (as in sports or politics)

Washington has taken two straight from Cincinnati, damaging the Reds' hopes of remaining relevant in the NL playoff race.

—Ben Nuckols

… the governing party is struggling to remain relevant in the campaign ahead of the July 1 election.

—The Associated Press

2

dated : proportional, relative

relevantly adverb

Synonyms of relevant

• applicable
• pertinent

Choose the Right Synonym for relevant

relevant, germane, material, pertinent, apposite, applicable, apropos mean relating to or bearing upon the matter in hand.

relevant implies a traceable, significant, logical connection.

found material relevant to her case

germane may additionally imply a fitness for or appropriateness to the situation or occasion.

a point not germane to the discussion

material implies so close a relationship that it cannot be dispensed with without serious alteration of the case.

facts material to the investigation

pertinent stresses a clear and decisive relevance.

a pertinent observation

apposite suggests a felicitous relevance.

add an apposite quotation to the definition

applicable suggests the fitness of bringing a general rule or principle to bear upon a particular case.

the rule is not applicable in this case

apropos suggests being both relevant and opportune.

the quip was apropos

Examples of relevant in a Sentence

… the sport [men's tennis] is so invisible to the American fan that it's in danger of becoming as relevant as—gasp—soccer. —Mike Freeman, New York Times, 1 Sept. 2002

Mendelian genetics is no more relevant to understanding heredity in the real world than Euclidean geometry is to understanding the shape of an oak tree. —Matt Ridley, Genome, 1999

But it is much less relevant when the question becomes, as it should, "What, then, must we do with and for the one third or so of black America that seems to be permanently alienated from the structures of opportunity in this society?" —Glenn C. Loury, Atlantic, November 1997

The smallest distance that is relevant to measurement today is something like 10-17 centimeters, which is how far a thing called the Z0 (see zero) can travel before it departs our world. —Leon Lederman et al., The God Particle, 1993

The ideas and observations expressed in the book are still relevant today.

Make sure your comments during the interview are short and relevant.

Recent Examples on the Web

Bibby’s challenges now include getting the Hornets relevant. —Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 2 Nov. 2025

Accuracy into tight-window throws is an entirely different (but relevant) conversation. —Alec Lewis, New York Times, 1 Nov. 2025

Our other goal is to be more relevant for the Spanish – and Catalan – audiovisual industry. —Annika Pham, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025

None of them have officially tested warheads since the 1990s, but the relevant treaties have largely lapsed, and Russia is believed to have carried out secret tests. —Ben Smith, semafor.com, 31 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin relevant-, relevans, from Latin, present participle of relevare to raise up — more at relieve

First Known Use

circa 1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for relevant

• irrelevant

Kids Definition

relevant

adjective

rel·​e·​vant ˈrel-ə-vənt 

: having something to do with the matter being considered : pertinent

a relevant question

relevantly adverb

Legal Definition

relevant

adjective

rel·​e·​vant ˈre-lə-vənt 

1

: tending logically to prove or disprove a fact of consequence or to make the fact more or less probable and thereby aiding the trier of fact in making a decision

determined that the evidence was relevant

also : having a bearing on or reasonably calculated to lead to a matter that bears on any issue in a case for purposes of pretrial discovery see also relevant evidence at evidence

2

: having significant and demonstrable bearing on facts or issues

was not a relevant case