irrelevant

adjective

ir·​rel·​e·​vant i-ˈre-lə-vənt 

: not relevant : inapplicable

that statement is irrelevant to your argument

irrelevantly adverb

Synonyms of irrelevant

• meaningless
• immaterial
• inapplicable
• extraneous
• useless
• inappropriate
• impertinent
• beside the point
• inapposite
• irrelative

Examples of irrelevant in a Sentence

His comment is completely irrelevant.

irrelevant questions that merely disrupted the classroom lesson

Recent Examples on the Web

These virtues are not irrelevant relics. —CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026

Rick and Morty makes the case that actions and emotions matter, even in an infinite multiverse that should by all rights render everyone and everything irrelevant. —Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026

The movement born to make Wall Street irrelevant has become one of its most powerful lobbying forces—and its most reliable clients. —Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 17 Mar. 2026

But over the next 25 years, the RedHawks made the tournament once, a first-round exit in 2007, and had been largely irrelevant. —Tim Rohan, NBC news, 17 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for irrelevant

• relevant

Kids Definition

irrelevant

adjective

ir·​rel·​e·​vant (ˈ)ir-ˈ(r)el-ə-vənt 

: not relevant : not applicable or pertinent

the evidence presented was judged irrelevant to the case

irrelevance

-vən(t)s

noun

or irrelevancy

-vən-sē

irrelevantly adverb

Legal Definition

irrelevant

adjective

ir·​rel·​e·​vant ir-ˈre-lə-vənt 

: not relevant : not applicable or pertinent

irrelevant allegations

irrelevant evidence

compare immaterial

irrelevantly adverb