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

• applicability
• bearing
• connection
• materiality
• pertinence
• 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

But even during what in hindsight seems like the agency’s peak of relevance, a sense of unease and mounting scrutiny remained. —Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025

No fin-de-siècle artist was more fascinated by the artistic relevance of gawkers on the streets of Paris than Félix Vallotton. —Heather O’Donnell, The New York Review of Books, 24 Apr. 2025

The clock, based at the University of Chicago, lost much of its relevance when the Cold War ended. —Orlando Sentinel and Chicago Tribune Editorial Boards, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Apr. 2025

Throughout the trial, the judge often sustained frequent objections from the prosecution over Daybell's questions for testifying, hearsay, relevance and speculation. —Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 21 Apr. 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