relevant

adjective

rel·​e·​vant ˈre-lə-vənt How to pronounce relevant (audio)
1
a
: having significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand
b
: affording evidence tending to prove or disprove the matter at issue or under discussion
relevant testimony
c
: having social relevance
2
relevantly adverb
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, NewYork 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 All the prices listed are for queen sizes wherever relevant. Medea Giordano, WIRED, 11 Mar. 2024 Please take this and any other relevant information and make your best decision. Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2024 There’s also discussion of how to help small schools stay relevant in a time of competitive equity when playoff brackets are being filled by large schools at the lowest lower level. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 This year’s spending package prohibits the department from transmitting that information unless a relevant judicial authority rules that the beneficiary is a danger to himself or herself, or others. Kevin Freking, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2024 Their rich and varied backgrounds contribute to a comprehensive understanding of both the artistic and thematic nuances relevant to the call, offering invaluable insights from a global perspective. Vogue, 7 Mar. 2024 But the old-fashioned department store that sold shoppers a wide array of products, and which Macy's once epitomized, is becoming less and less relevant. USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024 Cable news channels in general are facing a moment of obsolescence amid cord-cutting, and everyone is trying to figure out a digital strategy that can become a sustainable business that is relevant to the younger consumer that isn’t watching TV news. Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024 This shows how important operational data is for getting the most out of generative AI by giving users experiences that are real-time, accurate, and relevant to their situation across enterprise apps. Janakiram Msv, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'relevant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of relevant was circa 1540

Dictionary Entries Near relevant

Cite this Entry

“Relevant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/relevant. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

relevant

adjective
rel·​e·​vant ˈrel-ə-vənt How to pronounce relevant (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce relevant (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on relevant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!