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Relevant: meaning and sentence examples

relevant means directly connected to the question or matter being considered. Watch the story, then try free practice below.

Read the story

Who entered the shed?

The duck!

But is that relevant?

No—the paw prints are.

Relevant means directly connected to the question.

Words change everything.

Explore the word · adjective

What does relevant mean?

directly connected to the question or matter being considered.

How the story shows the meaning

The question is who entered the shed. Paw prints connect to an animal being there; merely naming a duck does not explain the marks. A relevant clue helps with the question, although it may not settle the answer.

relevant in a sentence

  • The temperature readings were relevant to our question about which cup kept water warm.
  • Please include details relevant to the book character’s decision, rather than a list of unrelated events.
  • A bus timetable is relevant when you are deciding how early to leave for school.

Relevance depends on the question. A detail that is irrelevant to one question can be relevant to another. Relevant evidence still needs to be checked for accuracy.

Check your understanding

Which detail is most relevant to finding out why a plant wilted?

Read the answer and explanation

The soil has been dry for several days. Correct. Dry soil is connected to whether the plant has enough water.

Try two more questions

Explain your thinking, then open a sample answer. These are extra practice examples to use after watching.

1. Could the color of a pot ever be relevant? Give a question where it matters.

Show sample answer

Yes. For example, “Which pot matches the blue shelf?” makes color relevant. The question determines which details help.

2. Write a sentence using relevant to explain which detail you would include in a book review.

Show sample answer

One possible answer is “The character’s change of mind is relevant to my explanation of the ending.” Name a detail and the idea it helps explain.

Companion lesson by Parrivo · Updated