relevant
Americanadjective
adjective
-
having direct bearing on the matter in hand; pertinent
-
linguistics another word for distinctive
Pronunciation
See irrelevant.
Related Words
See apt.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of relevant
First recorded in 1550–60; from Medieval Latin relevant-, stem of relevāns, special use of Latin present participle of relevāre “to raise, lift up”; see relieve ( def. ), -ant ( def. )
Explanation
Something is relevant if it's appropriate or connected to the matter at hand. Relevant things are helpful and on point. Relevant things are appropriate and make sense at that particular time. In the middle of history class, your teacher loves to get relevant questions: questions that have to do with the material. The teacher won't be thrilled to get a question about math: that's not relevant. You can also say a song or movie is relevant if it's connected to current events or issues people are talking about. When something is relevant, it just fits what is happening.
Vocabulary lists containing relevant
Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
List 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Language of Standardized Tests, List 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
A third study suggests debunkbots’ success at challenging conspiracy theories is driven by their ability to clearly explain relevant facts.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2026
But having a bot read a transcript and identify the relevant sections for me to verify is a massive time-saver, one of my favorite technological evolutions of any product I’ve used in my career.
From Slate • May 24, 2026
He said the company is still seeking relevant licenses and legal consents, so they do not have a launch date and it "may take some time".
From BBC • May 23, 2026
"All regions and relevant authorities are required to... launch tough crackdowns on illegal and unlawful activities", including the falsification of safety data, unclear headcounts of underground workers and illegal contracting, it added.
From Barron's • May 23, 2026
There’s a joke I like that’s marginally relevant.
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
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.
