irrelevant

adjective

i-ˈre-lə-vənt How to pronounce irrelevant (audio)
Definition of irrelevantnext
as in meaningless
not having anything to do with the matter at hand irrelevant questions that merely disrupted the classroom lesson

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of irrelevant What outrages Marylanders is that this diabolical plan excludes the Preakness, devaluing it and implying the Triple Crown is irrelevant, if not dead. — Stephen J. K. Walters, Baltimore Sun, 12 Aug. 2026 And further back than that—the child my mother still describes, devouring books one after another, genre irrelevant. — Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026 When teens and 20-somethings became the earliest adopters of Snapchat and then TikTok, titles aimed at those demographics had to embrace them or risk being written off as irrelevant by a generation that is more inclined to watch YouTube anyway. — Judy Berman, Time, 4 Aug. 2026 The migrants were never going to be able to reach the mainland EU, but that fact was irrelevant to hard-right, anti-migrant politicians around the world who portrayed the incident in apocalyptic terms. — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for irrelevant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irrelevant
  1. meaningless
  2. immaterial
  3. inapplicable
  4. extraneous
  5. useless
  6. inappropriate
  7. impertinent
  8. inapposite
Adjective
  • Knowing what ingredients are required on paper is meaningless if the chef has never actually turned on the stove or managed a high-stakes kitchen rush.
    — Roberta Matuson, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Jared Sternberg, founder of Gondwana Ecotours, argues that comparing Alaska to Phoenix is meaningless.
    — Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of meaningless
Adjective
  • So, when companies that used to routinely print tens of billions in annual free cash flow start putting up immaterial sums — or even outflows — investors understandably start to be concerned.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The live audience was immaterial as long as the jokes were funny.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of immaterial
Adjective
  • False endorsement and misappropriation, FanDuel could insist, are inapplicable to a personalized video setting where the video’s talent voluntarily assents in exchange for compensation.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 July 2026
  • The LLCs contested, arguing the alter ego finding was inapplicable and Illinois law didn't permit such piercing in supplementary proceedings.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Definition of inapplicable
Adjective
  • But Sears, a starter who is now extraneous, is almost certainly the only one who will be sent down.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Level Two prompts teams to identify missing critical information or extraneous details.
    — Esther K. Choy, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
Definition of extraneous
Adjective
  • Even the useless adults of The Shards would surely act quickly to arrest Robert with this much evidence.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Talarico calls Big Bend border wall 'useless' Democratic candidate James Talarico reacted to images of bulldozers at Big Bend in an X post.
    — Natassia Paloma, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of useless
Adjective
  • Pat is a little bit like an inappropriate uncle at a family gathering in the 1970s.
    — Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Montana did not directly answer questions about the decision to choose BCBS over Allegiance and whether there was inappropriate contact among state officials.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of inappropriate
Adjective
  • The Tarrant County decorum policy prohibits personal attacks and impertinent, profane, obscene or slanderous remarks.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Some Percy Jackson fans are acting quite impertinent.
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 13 Apr. 2026
Definition of impertinent
Adjective
  • That principle is inapposite when a limited liability company has only one member.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
  • The Supreme Court indeed raised Flood and explained the cases were, at best, inapposite.
    — Marc Edelman, Forbes, 21 June 2021
Definition of inapposite

Browse Nearby Words

irrelevancy
irrelevant
irrelevantly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Irrelevant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irrelevant. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on irrelevant

Nglish: Translation of irrelevant for Spanish Speakers

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