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

Affiliate marketing and publisher commerce content could lose relevance if agents bypass their links entirely. —Jason Goldberg, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2025

But the company is fighting back by working to rebuild cultural relevance, starting with football and expanding into team sports. —Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 8 Aug. 2025

The fact that this local story has found its way to international audiences and resonated so strongly speaks to its power and relevance. —Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2025

Latto’s capsule collection captures this cultural moment perfectly, bridging original 2000s appeal with contemporary relevance. —Essence, 6 Aug. 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