irrelevance

noun

ir·​rel·​e·​vance i-ˈre-lə-vən(t)s How to pronounce irrelevance (audio)
1
: the quality or state of being irrelevant
2
: something irrelevant

Examples of irrelevance in a Sentence

the irrelevance of the comment brought conversation to a standstill
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.
In the era of NIL, schools have to weigh their budget for sports as a way to keep from slipping into irrelevance, which could hurt donations from boosters and enrollment. Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025 From junior staffers worried about automation to managers fearing irrelevance, no one feels entirely safe. Preston Fore, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2025 Every February and September, when the event takes place, critics and showgoers bemoan that the entire affair is strangled by commercialism and limping toward irrelevance. Ana Karina Zatarain, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2025 This is why most pilots die, not of failure, but due to irrelevance. Aditya Vikram Kashyap, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for irrelevance

Word History

First Known Use

1843, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of irrelevance was in 1843

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Irrelevance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irrelevance. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Legal Definition

irrelevance

noun
ir·​rel·​e·​vance ir-ˈre-lə-vəns How to pronounce irrelevance (audio)
1
: the quality or state of being irrelevant
2
: something that is irrelevant

More from Merriam-Webster on irrelevance

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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