irrelevant results

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "irrelevant results" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when discussing outcomes or findings that do not pertain to the topic at hand. For example, "The search yielded many irrelevant results that did not address the research question." Alternative expressions include "unrelated outcomes" and "inapplicable findings."

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

36 human-written examples

It has been praised for the way it organizes information into categories and sifts out irrelevant results.

The New York Times - Tech

My only real concern is whether the site will grow too big, adding stores and brands until it becomes plagued with the sort of irrelevant results that clutter more general search sites.

The New York Times

The benefit of hand-crafted Web directories like Open Directory and Yahoo -- and the reason for their popularity -- is that they virtually eliminate the hundreds of irrelevant results that most automated search engines deliver.

The New York Times

By Ben Greenman Lady is possibly a bad name for a band, not because there's anything wrong with it but because in this Google-happy era it's almost impossible to search for the group without getting a million irrelevant results.

The New Yorker

Lady is possibly a bad name for a band, not because there's anything wrong with it but because in this Google-happy era it's almost impossible to search for the group without getting a million irrelevant results.

The New Yorker

Without a search solution that understands a customer's true intent, customers too often waste time wading through many irrelevant results.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

24 human-written examples

Nos. 1 and 2 are competitors, and the third is an irrelevant result.

The New York Times

In the case of question 2, SFC returned a list of results containing one irrelevant result, so the precision was less than 1.

Vietnam Journal of Computer Science

Buyers complained of clutter, irrelevant search results and fraud.

The New York Times - Tech

"And that means you won't get these irrelevant search results".

The New York Times - Tech

Google now acknowledges that the reaction to the ruling – Google has received 220,000 requests to remove information – showed significant, pent-up demand from citizens requesting the removal of outdated, inaccurate or irrelevant search results on their name.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In technical reports, follow the mention of "irrelevant results" with a brief explanation of why the data did not meet the criteria.

Common error

Avoid using "irrelevant results" to describe information that is factually wrong. A result can be perfectly accurate but irrelevant if it does not answer the specific question asked.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "irrelevant results" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective 'irrelevant' modifies the plural noun 'results'. According to Ludwig, it is used as a direct object or subject to quantify the lack of precision in a data set or search output.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

55%

News & Media

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Social Media

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "irrelevant results" is a precise and professional phrase used to describe outcomes that do not pertain to the matter at hand. According to Ludwig, it is most prevalent in technical and scientific writing, particularly when discussing search algorithms, data mining and medical diagnostics. While it is often used synonymously with "noise" or "unrelated data", it specifically points to the items produced by a process that failed to meet the intended criteria. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and widely recognized across high-authority sources, making it a reliable choice for professional communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unrelated outcomes

Emphasizes the end consequence or conclusion rather than specific search hits.

non-pertinent information

Provides a more formal and abstract way to describe a lack of relevance.

off-topic search results

Offers an informal and direct description often used in user experience contexts.

inapplicable findings

Specifically tailored for research or investigative contexts where data cannot be used.

extraneous hits

Uses specific search engine terminology to denote results outside the relevant set.

superfluous data

Suggests that the results are excessive and unnecessary rather than just mismatched.

misaligned outputs

Technical nuance implying a failure in the system's ability to match intent.

insignificant findings

Suggests the results have no statistical or practical value.

immaterial consequences

Moves the focus toward the lack of importance or weight of the results.

random noise

Metaphorically describes a total lack of meaningful signal in a dataset.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "irrelevant results"?

You can use alternatives like "<a href="/s/unrelated+outcomes" target="_blank" rel="alternative">unrelated outcomes", "<a href="/s/non-pertinent+findings" target="_blank" rel="alternative">non-pertinent findings", or "<a href="/s/extraneous+hits" target="_blank" rel="alternative">extraneous hits" depending on the context.

Is it correct to use "irrelevant results" in academic writing?

Yes, it is highly appropriate. Ludwig shows it is frequently used in scientific journals to describe data noise or the outcome of overly broad search parameters.

What is the difference between "irrelevant results" and "noise"?

While "<a href="/s/noise" target="_blank" rel="alternative">noise" is a broad term for any unwanted data, "irrelevant results" specifically refers to individual outputs that do not match the user's intent.

Can I use "irrelevant results" to describe a search engine error?

Absolutely. It is the standard way to describe a lack of precision where the system returns items that do not satisfy the query requirements.