relevant
Something is relevant if it is important and connected to what you are talking about.
Explanation at your level:
When you talk about something, you want to use words that fit. If you talk about school, talk about books. These are relevant things. It means 'important for now'.
If you have a question, make sure it is relevant to the lesson. This means your question is about the topic. It helps everyone learn better.
In a meeting, you should provide relevant details. Don't talk about things that don't matter. Being relevant shows you are listening and prepared.
The speaker made several highly relevant points during the debate. By focusing on relevant data, you can make your argument much stronger and more persuasive.
The concept of relevance is central to effective communication. In academic writing, you must filter out extraneous information to ensure that every sentence is strictly relevant to your thesis statement.
The relevance of historical texts to modern political discourse is a subject of intense scholarly debate. To remain culturally relevant, institutions must constantly adapt their methodologies to the shifting paradigms of the current era.
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- Means connected to the topic.
- Used in professional settings.
- Always use with 'to'.
- Opposite is irrelevant.
When you hear the word relevant, think of a puzzle piece that actually fits into the picture you are building. It describes information, ideas, or objects that have a direct connection to the topic you are currently exploring.
In a classroom or a professional meeting, being relevant means you are staying on track. If someone asks about the budget and you start talking about your cat, your comment is definitely not relevant! Keeping things relevant helps people understand your point quickly without getting distracted by extra noise.
The word relevant has a fascinating history that travels all the way back to the Middle French word relever, which means 'to raise up'. It eventually evolved from the Medieval Latin relevare.
Originally, it meant something that 'raised up' or 'relieved' a burden, but over centuries, the meaning shifted toward 'being significant' or 'having weight' in a discussion. It is a great example of how language changes from physical actions to abstract concepts of importance.
You will hear relevant used most often in academic and business settings. It is a high-register word, meaning it sounds professional and precise.
Common collocations include highly relevant, relevant information, and relevant experience. When you use it, you are telling the listener that what you are saying carries real weight and is worth their attention.
While 'relevant' itself isn't usually the core of an idiom, it appears in phrases like 'stay relevant', which means to keep up with current trends. Another is 'make it relevant', often used by teachers to explain why a student should care about a specific topic.
We also use 'relevant to the point' to emphasize that someone is being concise and helpful.
Relevant is an adjective, so it does not have a plural form. It is pronounced with the stress on the first syllable: REL-uh-vuhnt.
A common mistake is to add an extra syllable, making it sound like 're-lev-a-ant'. Remember, it rhymes with 'elephant' if you say it quickly! It is often followed by the preposition 'to', as in 'relevant to the situation'.
Fun Fact
It comes from the same root as 'relieve'!
Pronunciation Guide
Clear stress on the first syllable.
Similar to UK, crisp vowels.
Common Errors
- adding an extra syllable
- stressing the second syllable
- swallowing the 'v' sound
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy
Easy
Easy
Easy
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Fortgeschritten
Grammar to Know
Adjective Prepositional Phrases
Relevant to...
Examples by Level
This book is relevant to my class.
relevant = important for
adjective usage
Your answer is relevant to the question.
We need relevant information for this project.
Is this news relevant to us?
The map is relevant for our trip.
Keep your comments relevant.
He gave relevant examples.
The data is relevant.
Find relevant facts.
Her experience is highly relevant to the job.
The teacher made the lesson relevant to our lives.
Please provide relevant documents only.
That is not relevant to our discussion.
We found some relevant studies online.
The evidence is relevant to the case.
Are these rules relevant here?
Stay relevant by reading the news.
The findings are relevant to current research.
She has relevant skills for this position.
The article provides relevant context.
Is his opinion relevant to this matter?
The committee discussed relevant issues.
The evidence is legally relevant.
We need to keep our skills relevant.
The data is relevant to the outcome.
The candidate demonstrated relevant expertise.
The policy is no longer relevant in this climate.
His argument was not relevant to the core issue.
We must ensure the data is relevant and accurate.
The historical context is relevant to understanding the play.
The information is relevant to the investigation.
She made a relevant point about the budget.
The study has relevant implications for the future.
The relevance of his work to modern philosophy is undeniable.
The curriculum should be made more relevant to the digital age.
The judge ruled the evidence was not relevant.
The discourse remained relevant throughout the conference.
She provided a relevant critique of the system.
The theory is relevant to multiple disciplines.
His insights were highly relevant to our strategy.
The relevance of the findings cannot be overstated.
Synonyme
Gegenteile
Häufige Kollokationen
Idioms & Expressions
"stay relevant"
to keep up with trends
Companies must innovate to stay relevant.
neutral""
""
""
""
""
Easily Confused
opposite meaning
ir- prefix means not
That is relevant vs That is irrelevant.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + is + relevant + to + Object
The data is relevant to the study.
Wortfamilie
Nouns
Adjectives
Verwandt
How to Use It
8
Formality Scale
Häufige Fehler
Always use 'to' after relevant.
Tips
Use 'to'
Always follow with 'to'.
Rhyme with Elephant
Say it like 'elephant' to get the rhythm right.
Context Check
Ask yourself: Does this fit the topic?
Memorize It
Mnemonic
REL-evant: RELate to the event.
Visual Association
A puzzle piece clicking into place.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Write three sentences about your day using the word relevant.
Wortherkunft
Latin
Original meaning: to raise up
Kultureller Kontext
None.
Used heavily in corporate and academic environments.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Work
- relevant experience
- relevant skills
- relevant data
Conversation Starters
"What is a relevant skill for your job?"
"Why is this topic relevant to us?"
Journal Prompts
Write about a time you heard someone say something irrelevant.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
8 FragenNo, it is an adjective.
Teste dich selbst
This book is ___ to my class.
It fits the context of school.
Which means 'connected to the topic'?
Relevant means connected.
If something is irrelevant, it is important.
Irrelevant means not important.
Word
Bedeutung
Match synonyms and antonyms.
This topic is relevant to...
Ergebnis: /5
Summary
Relevant means fitting perfectly into the conversation at hand.
- Means connected to the topic.
- Used in professional settings.
- Always use with 'to'.
- Opposite is irrelevant.
Use 'to'
Always follow with 'to'.
Rhyme with Elephant
Say it like 'elephant' to get the rhythm right.
Context Check
Ask yourself: Does this fit the topic?
Beispiel
Is this information relevant to our travel plans?
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