B2adjective2K

Relevant

UK /["/ˈreləvənt/"]/US /["/ˈreləvənt/"]/

Definition

closely connected with the subject you are discussing or the situation you are in

In simple words: Related or connected to the topic.

Examples

  • The teacher provided several relevant examples to help us understand the topic better.
  • It's important to keep the information relevant to the discussion at hand.
  • The research findings are relevant to current economic issues.
  • I don't think that anecdote is relevant to our meeting's agenda.
  • We need to filter out any irrelevant information to focus on what’s relevant.

Usage notes

Use 'relevant' when discussing information that is important to the current topic. It's not suitable for informal situations where casual language is preferred.

Grammar pattern

relevant + to + object

Memory hint

Remember 'relevant' as 'real evidence' — it’s info that matters!

Collocations

  • be
  • seem
  • become
  • especially
  • extremely
  • highly
  • to

Synonyms

  • pertinent
  • appropriate
  • applicable
  • germane
  • significant

Antonyms

  • irrelevant
  • unrelated
  • inapplicable

Common mistakes

  • Confusing 'relevant' with 'reverent' — they have very different meanings.
  • Using 'relevant' in a formal context when a simpler word like 'related' would work.
  • Misplacing 'relevant' in a sentence, forgetting to connect it properly to the topic.