Word
relevance
Phoneticsrel·e·vance, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɹɛɫəvəns/
UK/ɹˈɛlɪvəns/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. the quality of being useful or connected to what is happening now. If something has relevance, it matters to the person or the situation you are talking about.
n. the quality or state of being closely connected or appropriate to the matter at hand. Often used to describe the applicability of information or ideas to a specific context.
Examples
“The teacher explained the relevance of history to our lives.”
“The lawyer argued that the witness's personal life had no relevance to the criminal case being tried.”
“In an era of rapid technological change, many traditional industries struggle to maintain their relevance as consumer habits shift toward digital-first experiences.”
Examples
simple
“The teacher explained the relevance of history to our lives.”
contextual
“The lawyer argued that the witness's personal life had no relevance to the criminal case being tried.”
complex
“In an era of rapid technological change, many traditional industries struggle to maintain their relevance as consumer habits shift toward digital-first experiences.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “relevance” in context.
Verb
01. assess relevance
“The committee will assess the relevance of the findings to the current investigation.”
verb + noun
02. establish relevance
“The prosecutor struggled to establish the relevance of the witness's testimony to the case.”
verb + noun
03. have relevance
“These ancient philosophical ideas still have relevance in our modern digital age.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. direct relevance
“The new tax laws have direct relevance to small business owners.”
adj + noun
05. particular relevance
“This chapter is of particular relevance to students specializing in international law.”
adj + noun
06. relevance assess
07. relevance direct
Usage
Commonly followed by the preposition 'to' when indicating the subject of connection.
Real-World Examples
“To explore whether the strategy might eventually have relevance for people, the researchers tested it in human brain models.” “Among other things, PageRank treated links as signals of authority, which made relevance partly a question of how the web itself pointed to a page.” Etymology
From relevant + -ance.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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