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
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
Its focus on interconnectivity is especially resonant right now, and that sense of relevance naturally comes through to clients.
—
Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 27 May 2026
Craft cocktails and mocktails are from beverage director Lisa Brown, using ingredients with relevance to Africa and the Caribbean, like a Birds of Paradise cocktail that infuses ginger and hibiscus with East African honey wine.
—Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
Narayan’s bittersweet love story about a hapless painter’s crush on an emotionally distant social worker has lost none of its humor, relevance, or unconventionality.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 27 May 2026
The event was conceived as part of the Principality’s participation in World Boating Day, the international initiative designed to bring greater public attention to the cultural, economic and social relevance of the maritime and yachting industries.
—Bill Springer, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for relevance
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Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 27 May 2026
Craft cocktails and mocktails are from beverage director Lisa Brown, using ingredients with relevance to Africa and the Caribbean, like a Birds of Paradise cocktail that infuses ginger and hibiscus with East African honey wine.
—Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
Narayan’s bittersweet love story about a hapless painter’s crush on an emotionally distant social worker has lost none of its humor, relevance, or unconventionality.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 27 May 2026
The event was conceived as part of the Principality’s participation in World Boating Day, the international initiative designed to bring greater public attention to the cultural, economic and social relevance of the maritime and yachting industries.
—Bill Springer, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for relevance
Cite this Entry
“Relevance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/relevance. Accessed 29 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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