relevant

relevant — adjective

1. directly connected to the subject people are talking about or the situation some

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

directly connected to the subject people are talking about or the situation someone is dealing with — for example, a fact that helps answer a question in a discussion, or a piece of information that matters for a decision you need to make

Example

Lan borrowed relevant documents from the library for her research on climate change.

collect + relevant + noun: gathering information for a task

The judge decided that the witness's story was not relevant to the case.

be relevant to: used in legal/court context

Common collocations
  • relevant information
  • relevant documents
  • relevant evidence
  • relevant facts
  • relevant details
  • relevant questions
  • relevant issues
  • be directly relevant
  • be particularly relevant
Synonyms
  • pertinent

    more formal than 'relevant'; used when something fits the point exactly, especially in official or legal writing

  • applicable

    focuses on whether something can be successfully used or applied in a particular situation, not just whether it is connected

  • germane

    very formal; almost always used with 'to' and suggests a logical, fitting connection to the matter at hand

  • material

    formal and often legal; describes information important enough to influence a decision or outcome

Antonyms
  • irrelevant

    the direct opposite; not at all connected to the topic at hand

  • unrelated

    broader than 'irrelevant'; simply not connected, without the judgment that connection would matter

Grammar Patterns

be relevant to [something]

relevant + noun

it is relevant to [do something / that…]

Usage Note

Commonly used in academic, professional, and legal contexts to describe information, evidence, or questions that bear directly on the matter being discussed. Often contrasted with 'irrelevant' to show what matters and what does not.

Common Mistakes

This information is not relative to the case.
This information is not relevant to the case.
'Relative' means compared to something else; 'relevant' means connected to the topic.
The book is very related to my study.
The book is very relevant to my study.
'Related' just means connected in some way; 'relevant' means importantly connected to what you are discussing or doing.

2. appropriate for a specific need, goal, or situation — for example, a course that

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

appropriate for a specific need, goal, or situation — for example, a course that prepares you for a job you want, or advice that addresses exactly what someone needs to hear

Example

Hoa took a training course highly relevant to her new role at the hospital.

be relevant to: connecting training/education to a specific role

The local school updated its curriculum to make it more relevant to students' career goals.

Common collocations
  • relevant experience
  • relevant skills
  • relevant qualifications
  • relevant training
  • relevant to the job
  • relevant to the project
  • relevant to your needs
  • remain relevant
  • keep something relevant
Synonyms
  • suitable

    more general than 'relevant'; means acceptable or right for a purpose, without the strong sense of direct connection

  • appropriate

    suggests something fits the situation in terms of correctness or propriety, not necessarily practical connection

  • applicable

    can be put to use in a given situation; overlaps with both senses of 'relevant'

Antonyms
  • unsuitable

    not right for a particular purpose; broader than the opposite of 'relevant'

  • inappropriate

    not proper or fitting for the context; often carries a judgment about social correctness

Grammar Patterns

be relevant to [purpose/need/goal]

relevant + noun (for a purpose)

[noun] is relevant + to-infinitive

Usage Note

Frequently followed by the preposition 'to' to indicate the purpose, role, or goal that something is suited for. Subject is often a qualification, skill, course, experience, or piece of advice. This sense overlaps with 'suitable' but adds the nuance of a direct, practical connection to a stated aim.

Common Mistakes

I need a job that is relevant for my skills.
I need a job that is relevant to my skills.
After 'relevant', use 'to', not 'for'.
This course is relevant with my career plan.
This course is relevant to my career plan.
The correct preposition after 'relevant' is always 'to', not 'with'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a connection between two things, but they differ in tone and scope. 'Pertinent' is more formal than 'relevant' and implies a precise fit to the point at hand — a lawyer says a document is 'pertinent' to the case, not just relevant. 'Applicable' goes a step further: it means something can actually be applied or used in a situation, not just that it connects logically. 'Germane' is the most formal of the group and appears almost exclusively in legal or government writing, suggesting a deep logical relevance. 'Material' is a narrower legal term: information is 'material' if it is significant enough to affect a decision, such as a jury's verdict. In everyday speech, 'relevant' covers almost all of these uses. Use 'pertinent' for formal writing, 'applicable' when you mean 'can be put to use', and reserve 'germane' and 'material' for specialized or legal contexts.

pertinent ↗applicable ↗germanematerial ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • be relevant to
  • keep something relevant
  • become relevant
  • seem relevant
  • consider something relevant

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'relevans', the present participle of 'relevare' meaning 'to lift up, lighten, relieve'. The shift in meaning came through Medieval Latin, where 'relevare' took on the sense of 'to bear upon, relate to' — as if one thing raises or brings itself toward another. The word entered English in the 1500s via French 'relevant', first meaning 'helpful' or 'beneficial', then gradually moving to its modern sense of being connected to the matter at hand.