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.
What is meaningful at the entrance of the store can quickly become irrelevant in an aisle. — Gadi Graus, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026 The remaining readers are marginalized, mocked, and in many ways irrelevant. — Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026 Time was irrelevant, leaving Marlowe a void so deep and murky that her grief became bottomless. — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026 Horowitz said Lunas Campos’ criminal history is irrelevant to his detention. — Perla Trevizo, ProPublica, 3 July 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 10 Jul. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on irrelevant

Nglish: Translation of irrelevant for Spanish Speakers

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