Word
irrelevance
Phoneticsir·rel·e·vance, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌɪˈɹɛɫəvəns/
UK/ɪɹˈɛlɪvəns/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. lack of importance for what you are discussing or doing — something you can safely ignore.
n. lack of pertinence or applicability to the matter at hand; failure to affect meaning, outcome, or decision.
Examples
“His comments show complete irrelevance to our problem.”
“The lawyer argued for the irrelevance of the old emails to the current contract dispute.”
“What once seemed central to the debate faded into irrelevance as new evidence reshaped public understanding of the crisis.”
Examples
simple
“His comments show complete irrelevance to our problem.”
contextual
“The lawyer argued for the irrelevance of the old emails to the current contract dispute.”
complex
“What once seemed central to the debate faded into irrelevance as new evidence reshaped public understanding of the crisis.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “irrelevance” in context.
Verb
01. border on irrelevance
“His closing remarks bordered on irrelevance.”
verb + prep + noun
02. consign to irrelevance
“Rapid innovation could consign traditional taxis to irrelevance.”
verb + prep + noun
03. demonstrate irrelevance
“The results clearly demonstrate the irrelevance of the theory.”
verb + noun
04. descend into irrelevance
“The debate descended into irrelevance after an hour.”
verb + prep + noun
05. expose irrelevance
“The debate exposed the irrelevance of his arguments to modern voters.”
verb + noun
06. fade into irrelevance
“Once dominant, the newspaper slowly faded into irrelevance.”
verb + prep + noun
Adjective
07. complete irrelevance
“Most objections were dismissed as complete irrelevance to the main proposal.”
adj + noun
Noun
08. descent into irrelevance
“Critics see the party's defeat as a descent into irrelevance.”
noun + prep + noun
09. fear of irrelevance
“The reform was driven largely by fear of irrelevance.”
noun + prep + noun
10. consign to utter irrelevance
“Streaming has consigned video rental to utter irrelevance.”
11. face growing irrelevance
“Traditional universities face growing irrelevance in the job market.”
12. fade into political irrelevance
“After the scandal, the party faded into political irrelevance.”
Usage
Commonly appears in the pattern 'the irrelevance of X to Y'.
Real-World Examples
“Trump has privately told staffers that one of the reasons he has mused about a third term, which is forbidden by the Constitution, is to ward off any public perception that he might become a lame duck and slip into "irrelevance," according to a former senior aide who spoke on condition of anonymity.” Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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