Irrelevance: meaning, definitions and examples

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irrelevance

 

[ ɪˈrɛlɪvəns ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

in conversation

The quality or state of being irrelevant or not important.

Synonyms

immateriality, insignificance, unimportance.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
irrelevance

Use when referring to something that is not related to the current topic or situation.

  • Your comment about the weather is an irrelevance in this budget meeting
unimportance

Used to describe something that holds little to no importance or priority, often in everyday discussions.

  • In the grand scheme of things, the color of the report cover is of unimportance
insignificance

Refers to something that is minor or trivial, often highlighting its lack of impact or worth.

  • Her suggestions were dismissed due to their apparent insignificance to the project's success
immateriality

Typically used in formal or legal contexts to denote something that lacks substance or importance to a matter being discussed.

  • The defendant's previous actions are of immateriality to this particular case

Examples of usage

  • The speaker's comments were met with silence, highlighting the irrelevance of his points.
  • His constant interruptions only added to the overall irrelevance of the meeting.
  • The irrelevance of his argument became apparent as the discussion progressed.
Context #2 | Noun

in journalism

The lack of connection or pertinence to the main topic or story.

Synonyms

extraneousness, irrelevancy, tangentiality.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
irrelevance

Typically used to describe a situation where something is not applicable or related to the matter at hand. It’s commonly utilized in both formal and informal contexts.

  • His comment was deemed an irrelevance to the main discussion.
  • The extra details added irrelevance to the report.
irrelevancy

This word has a similar meaning to 'irrelevance,' but it is less commonly used. It also typically appears in formal contexts or discussions.

  • The lawyer objected to the witness's statement on grounds of irrelevancy.
  • She pointed out the irrelevancy of his argument.
extraneousness

Used in formal contexts to indicate that something is not essential or is unrelated to the main subject. This word often implies that the extraneous information can be distracting or unnecessary.

  • The editor removed the extraneousness of the additional material to streamline the article.
  • We need to eliminate any extraneousness to focus on the core issues.
tangentiality

This term is used when something is slightly related but not directly relevant to the main subject. Often found in academic or intellectual discussions, it implies a more subtle or indirect connection to the topic.

  • His speech, though interesting, suffered from tangentiality that confused the main point.
  • The conversation drifted into tangentiality, losing the thread of the original issue.

Examples of usage

  • The inclusion of irrelevant details only served to create confusion and irrelevance in the article.
  • Readers quickly lost interest due to the irrelevance of the information presented.

Translations

Translations of the word "irrelevance" in other languages:

🇵🇹 irrelevância

🇮🇳 अप्रासंगिकता

🇩🇪 Irrelevanz

🇮🇩 ketidakrelevanan

🇺🇦 недоречність

🇵🇱 nieistotność

🇯🇵 無関係

🇫🇷 irrélevance

🇪🇸 irrelevancia

🇹🇷 önemsizlik

🇰🇷 무관함

🇸🇦 عدم الصلة

🇨🇿 nepodstatnost

🇸🇰 nepodstatnosť

🇨🇳 无关紧要

🇸🇮 nepomembnost

🇮🇸 óviðeigandi

🇰🇿 маңызсыздық

🇬🇪 არასაჭიროება

🇦🇿 əhəmiyyətsizlik

🇲🇽 irrelevancia

Etymology

The word 'irrelevance' originated from the Latin word 'irrelevans', which means 'not lifting up'. It first appeared in the English language in the early 19th century. The concept of irrelevance has long been discussed in philosophy, psychology, and communication studies, highlighting the importance of relevance in various aspects of human interaction and understanding.

See also: irrelevant, relevancy.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #24,592, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.