irrelevant

adjective

ir·​rel·​e·​vant i-ˈre-lə-vənt How to pronounce irrelevant (audio)
Synonyms of irrelevant
: not relevant : inapplicable
that statement is irrelevant to your argument
irrelevantly adverb

Synonyms of irrelevant

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of irrelevant in a Sentence

His comment is completely irrelevant. irrelevant questions that merely disrupted the classroom lesson
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Research from Nosto highlights a string of problems, from search processes that generate endless irrelevant results – often paid for by merchants – to products that are displayed despite being out of stock. — David Prosser, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 These are the folks who produce unfounded, irrelevant verbiage that lacks a critical sense or analytical insight. — Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 29 July 2026 When Berk asked whether Farell was aware of allegations that Rivas had been violent toward Burke, the judge ruled the question irrelevant, and Farell did not answer. — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 27 July 2026 Offseason business was smooth, the roster was set, and the biggest headache was Brandon Aiyuk’s predictable, totally irrelevant social media posting. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for irrelevant

Word History

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of irrelevant was in 1786

Rhymes for irrelevant

See All Rhymes for irrelevant

Browse Nearby Words

irrelevancy
irrelevant
irrelevantly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Irrelevant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irrelevant. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

irrelevant

adjective
ir·​rel·​e·​vant (ˈ)ir-ˈ(r)el-ə-vənt How to pronounce irrelevant (audio)
: not relevant : not applicable or pertinent
the evidence presented was judged irrelevant to the case
irrelevance
-vən(t)s
noun
or irrelevancy
-vən-sē
irrelevantly adverb

Legal Definition

irrelevant

adjective
ir·​rel·​e·​vant ir-ˈre-lə-vənt How to pronounce irrelevant (audio)
: not relevant : not applicable or pertinent
irrelevant allegations
irrelevant evidence
compare immaterial
irrelevantly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on irrelevant

Nglish: Translation of irrelevant for Spanish Speakers

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