relevance
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of relevance
First recorded in 1620–30, for an earlier sense; relev(ant) ( def. ) + -ance ( def. )
Explanation
To know the relevance of something is to know why it matters or how it is important. I don't understand the relevance of this discussion: it doesn't seem important to me. If you don't understand the relevance of the word "relevant" to the discussion of the meaning of the word relevance, we're gonna have some trouble. When something is "relevant," it matters. Its relevance is clear. Relevance is simply the noun form of the adjective "relevant," which means "important to the matter at hand." Artists and politicians are always worried about their relevance. If they are no longer relevant, they may not keep their job. Someone without relevance might be called "irrelevant."
Vocabulary lists containing relevance
Academic Vocabulary Toolkit 1, Words 81-90
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100 SAT words Beginning with "R"
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The Bluest Eye
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As the biggest beverage makers battle for relevance among budget-conscious consumers, Coca-Cola is seeing early signs of a payoff from new drinks billed as beverage “innovation.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
As they celebrate America’s 250th birthday, they are also contemplating the relevance of their orientation to the nation’s conception of itself.
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026
Many of Graham’s critics have said he made moral trade-offs to gain relevance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
When I asked Hamawy about the connection, he acknowledged it, but dismissed its relevance.
From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026
But this brief discussion may at least indicate the relevance of environmental factors to smaller-scale and shorter-term patterns of history, as well as to history’s broadest pattern.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
