irrelevant

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "irrelevant" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it in various contexts to describe something that is not related to the subject that is being discussed, discussed or considered. For example, "The applicant's job experience was irrelevant for this job opening."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The trouble is that issues pertaining to north of the border are almost totally irrelevant in the 2011 Irish general election.

The Guardian

Cable escalated the row by writing to Dilnot to say he disagreed strongly with Watson's decision, adding: "Whether or not it has become part of the public debate is irrelevant and to continue to state it as a government target does not in any way reflect the coalition agreement.

The Guardian

For Crumb and Roy Sebag, the founders of BitGold Inc, whatever the world's politicians and central bankers choose to do about gold and the dollar (or gold and the Euro, or gold and the yen) is interesting, but irrelevant to their own business plans.

The Guardian - Money

He argued that under Europe's data protection directive, "outdated, irrelevant or incorrect" information should be removed.

The Guardian - Tech

In this role reversal the SDLP has looked increasingly old and irrelevant.

The Guardian

The ECJ ruling followed a court case brought in Spain by Mario Costeja González, a lawyer who argued that under the European Data Protection directive any company carrying out "data processing" should have to remove information about him that was "outdated, wrong or irrelevant" which he argued applied to a Spanish newspaper's online report in March 1998 about financial problems he had had.

The Guardian - Tech

Related: Kevin Pietersen 'devastated' by England snub but Andrew Strauss stands firm In a sense both positions are irrelevant because – as the 437th inconclusive press conference on the matter confirmed on Tuesday – the line can never be drawn.

The Guardian - Sport

The Tory peer recently provoked anger when he declared the living wage campaign irrelevant.

The Guardian - Business

"And whoever spotted that 'Martianism' is an anagram of Martin Amis was very clever, but it is completely irrelevant.

The Guardian

Nigel Farage had been expected to grab between 75 and 100 extra councillors at best, but added nearly 130. Labour MPs and activists, who had tried largely to ignore Ukip's impending arrival as the fourth party in British politics, veered between admitting that it had been hit and that Ed Miliband had to do better, and trying to dismiss Ukip as still so small as to be largely irrelevant.

The Guardian

But the European court found that people have the right to ask for information to be removed from search results that include their names if it is "inadequate, irrelevant or no longer relevant, or excessive".

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "irrelevant" to clearly signal that certain information or arguments should not be considered in a decision-making process.

Common error

While "irrelevant" implies a lack of importance, its primary meaning is "not related or applicable". Avoid using it when you simply mean something is not significant, even if it is related.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "irrelevant" is as an adjective. It modifies nouns to indicate that they are not related, applicable, or important to the matter being considered. Ludwig AI confirms this usage, providing numerous examples from various sources.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "irrelevant" functions as an adjective used to describe something not connected or important to the matter at hand. Ludwig AI analysis, alongside a wealth of examples from authoritative sources like The Guardian and The New York Times, confirms its correctness and widespread usage. The term maintains a neutral register, making it suitable for various contexts, but is particularly frequent in news and media. Understanding the nuances of "irrelevant" helps ensure clear and precise communication by focusing attention on pertinent information. Remember to avoid using "irrelevant" simply as a synonym for "unimportant"; its core meaning is about lacking connection.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not applicable

Indicates the information doesn't apply to the current situation.

unrelated

Suggests a lack of connection between two or more things.

immaterial

Emphasizes that something doesn't matter in the context.

beside the point

Highlights that something is not relevant to the main issue.

inconsequential

Stresses the lack of importance or significance.

of no importance

Directly states the lack of significance.

not pertinent

Indicates a lack of direct relevance to the topic.

extraneous

Suggests something is unnecessary and not belonging to the main subject.

beside the mark

Indicates that something is off-topic or inaccurate.

not germane

Highlights a lack of relevance or appropriateness.

FAQs

How to use "irrelevant" in a sentence?

You can use "irrelevant" to describe something that is not connected to the subject being discussed, for instance: "The applicant's prior job experience was "irrelevant" to the requirements of this role."

What can I say instead of "irrelevant"?

Alternatives to "irrelevant" include "not applicable", "unrelated", or "immaterial" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "irrelevant to" or "irrelevant for"?

"Irrelevant to" is generally the preferred construction, as it indicates a lack of connection or pertinence. "Irrelevant for" is less common but can be used in certain contexts to indicate that something is unsuitable for a particular purpose.

What's the difference between "irrelevant" and "unimportant"?

"Irrelevant" means not connected or applicable, while "unimportant" means lacking significance. Something can be related but unimportant, or unrelated and thus "irrelevant".