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

Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability. —David McMillin, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025

While those connotations may have long since lost their relevance, contemporary designers have been embracing lace more than ever recently, filling collections in New York Bridal Fashion Week with beautiful gowns crafted in the delicate, classic material. —Shelby Wax, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025

Stephen’s stray ideas gave me a starting condition, a concrete frame that specified features, relations, and relevance. —Big Think, 23 Oct. 2025

The Susa flat was among the key silhouettes Manolo Blahnik decided to reemphasize recently, per FN’s 2024 exploration of how a range of brands maintain relevance for icon products. —Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 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