irrelevant

adjective

ir·​rel·​e·​vant i-ˈre-lə-vənt How to pronounce irrelevant (audio)
Synonyms of irrelevant
: not relevant : inapplicable
that statement is irrelevant to your argument
irrelevantly adverb

Synonyms of irrelevant

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of irrelevant in a Sentence

His comment is completely irrelevant. irrelevant questions that merely disrupted the classroom lesson
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The best commerce experience may eventually feel less like browsing a digital shelf and more like interacting with an exceptional salesperson, one who understands the context, eliminates irrelevant options and makes a complex choice feel simple. — Anastasia Shtompel, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 Auburn won this game handily last year, too, but did so with an entirely different coaching staff and set of players, so that result is a largely irrelevant data point. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026 Catherine and Alice are such complicated figures that the word likable seems irrelevant to them. — Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 31 Aug. 2026 The police will have to disclose only reports of crimes that took place on the campus itself, and not reports concerning burglary, larceny and other offenses, which the judge deemed irrelevant. — Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for irrelevant

Word History

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of irrelevant was in 1786

Rhymes for irrelevant

See All Rhymes for irrelevant

Browse Nearby Words

irrelevancy
irrelevant
irrelevantly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Irrelevant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irrelevant. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

irrelevant

adjective
ir·​rel·​e·​vant (ˈ)ir-ˈ(r)el-ə-vənt How to pronounce irrelevant (audio)
: not relevant : not applicable or pertinent
the evidence presented was judged irrelevant to the case
irrelevance
-vən(t)s
noun
or irrelevancy
-vən-sē
irrelevantly adverb

Legal Definition

irrelevant

adjective
ir·​rel·​e·​vant ir-ˈre-lə-vənt How to pronounce irrelevant (audio)
: not relevant : not applicable or pertinent
irrelevant allegations
irrelevant evidence
compare immaterial
irrelevantly adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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