relevant
/rĕl′ə-vənt/
adjective
  1. (rare) Relieving; lending aid or support.
  2. Bearing upon, or properly applying to, the case in hand; pertinent; applicable.
  3. (Scots Law) Sufficient to support the cause.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English. More at Wordnik
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Vocabulary.com
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Relevant - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com
Something is relevant if it's appropriate or connected to the matter at hand. Relevant things are helpful and on point.
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Cambridge Dictionary
dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english › relevant
RELEVANT | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
RELEVANT definition: 1. connected with what is happening or being discussed: 2. correct or suitable for a particular…. Learn more.
People also ask

How is the word 'relevant' different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of relevant are applicable, apposite, apropos, germane, material, and pertinent. While all these words mean "relating to or bearing upon the matter in hand," relevant implies a traceable, significant, logical connection.

// found material relevant to her case

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merriam-webster.com
merriam-webster.com › thesaurus › relevant
RELEVANT Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words | Merriam-Webster ...
When is it sensible to use 'applicable' instead of 'relevant'?

While in some cases nearly identical to relevant, 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

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merriam-webster.com
merriam-webster.com › thesaurus › relevant
RELEVANT Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words | Merriam-Webster ...
When could 'material' be used to replace 'relevant'?

The words material and relevant can be used in similar contexts, but material implies so close a relationship that it cannot be dispensed with without serious alteration of the case.

// facts material to the investigation

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merriam-webster.com
merriam-webster.com › thesaurus › relevant
RELEVANT Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words | Merriam-Webster ...
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Dictionary.com
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RELEVANT Definition & Meaning
Relevant definition: bearing upon or connected with the matter in hand; pertinent.. See examples of RELEVANT used in a sentence.
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Merriam-Webster
merriam-webster.com › dictionary › relevant
RELEVANT Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
The meaning of RELEVANT is relating in an appropriate way to something under consideration : having significant and demonstrable bearing on or relation to the matter at hand. How to use relevant in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Relevant.
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Longman
ldoceonline.com › dictionary › relevant
relevant | meaning of relevant in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English | LDOCE
Word family (noun) relevance ≠ ... Englishrelevantrel‧e‧vant /ˈreləvənt/ ●●● S2 W2 AWL adjective CONNECTED WITHdirectly relating to the subject or problem being discussed or considered OPP irrelevant Relevant documents were presented in court....
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Collins Dictionary
collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english › relevant
RELEVANT definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary
Word originC16: from Medieval Latin relevans, from Latin relevāre to lighten, from re- + levāre to raise, relieve ... bearing upon or relating to the matter in hand; pertinent; to the point SYNONYMY NOTE: relevant implies close logical relationship with, and importance to, the matter under consideration [relevant testimony]; germane implies such close natural connection as to be highly appropriate or fit [your reminiscences are not truly germane to this discussion]; pertinent implies an immediate and direct bearing on the matter in hand [a pertinent suggestion]; apposite applies to that whic
Published   December 20, 2017
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Merriam-Webster
merriam-webster.com › thesaurus › relevant
RELEVANT Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words | Merriam-Webster Thesaurus
Some common synonyms of relevant are applicable, apposite, apropos, germane, material, and pertinent. While all these words mean "relating to or bearing upon the matter in hand," relevant implies a traceable, significant, logical connection.
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Oxford English Dictionary
oed.com › dictionary › relevant_adj
relevant, adj. meanings, etymology and more | Oxford English Dictionary
There are five meanings listed in OED's entry for the adjective relevant, two of which are labelled obsolete.
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Oxford Learner's Dictionaries
oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english › relevant
relevant adjective - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com
the fact of being valuable and useful to people in their lives and work · Her novel is still relevant today. relevant to somebody/something Past imperial glories are hardly relevant to the present day. Word Originearly 16th cent. (as a Scots legal term meaning ‘legally pertinent’): from ...
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Thesaurus.com
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364 Synonyms & Antonyms for RELEVANT | Thesaurus.com
Find 364 different ways to say RELEVANT, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com.
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Wiktionary
en.wiktionary.org › wiki › relevant
relevant - Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Motorola was quickly losing the cell-phone battle to Nokia for a time. When they launched the RAZR phone and combined it with their "Hello Moto" campaign, it made the brand relevant again. (slang, by extension) Famous, popular, or noteworthy in a contemporary context.
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Reverso
dictionary.reverso.net › english-definition › relevant
RELEVANT - Definition & Meaning - Reverso English Dictionary
relevant definition: closely connected to the matter at hand. Check meanings, examples, usage tips, pronunciation, domains, and related words. Discover expressions like "relevant person", "relevant parties", "remain relevant".
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Wordnik
wordnik.com › words › relevant
relevant — definition, examples, related words and more at Wordnik
To the purpose; pertinent; applicable: as, the testimony is not relevant to the case. In law, being in subject-matter germane to the controversy; conducive to the proof or disproof of a fact in issue or a pertinent hypothesis.
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Cambridge Dictionary
dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-english › relevant
RELEVANT | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary
RELEVANT definition: related or useful to what is happening or being talked about: . Learn more.
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Vocabulary.com
vocabulary.com › dictionary › relevance
Relevance - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com
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.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/englishlearning › meaning of relevant
r/EnglishLearning on Reddit: Meaning of relevant
August 12, 2024 - Something is relevant if it's appropriate or connected to the matter at hand. In the middle of history class, your teacher loves to get relevant questions: questions that have to do with the material.
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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Relevance
Relevance - Wikipedia
October 7, 2025 - The meaning of "relevance" in U.S. law is reflected in Rule 401 of the Federal Rules of Evidence. That rule defines relevance as "having any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determinations of the action more probable or less probable than it would be without the evidence". In other words, if a fact were to have no bearing on the truth or falsity of a conclusion, it would be legally irrelevant.