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

This philosophy extends into the brand’s marketing strategies, where stories of community and cultural relevance take center stage. —Jeff Fromm, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024

Content oversight and quality assurance provided by Bay Area News Group. Bay Area News Group advertising leadership oversees sponsored, native, and paid content on this platform, ensuring its quality, relevance, and helpfulness for our audience. —Lydia Kariuki, The Mercury News, 4 Dec. 2024

If a law hasn’t been cited in decades or lacks relevance in modern governance, it can be marked for deprecation, much like unused functions in a software library. —Brooke Seipel, Fortune, 4 Dec. 2024

And that makes the state visit an important opportunity for Britain to demonstrate its own relevance on the global stage. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1787, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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