more or less relevant

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "more or less relevant" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something is somewhat relevant, but not entirely or completely so. Example: "The information provided was more or less relevant to the topic we were discussing."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

Generally a more or less relevant myth would be narrated.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Jerked awake, Pavarotti "would immediately make a more or less relevant observation about the performance he had only partly listened to".

The Guardian - Music

I was researching a book at the time and all the yellow-leafed volumes whose pictures I pored over in the rare books room at St Pancras were more or less relevant to it.

The Guardian - Books

What makes your opinion any more or less relevant than Andrew's?

BBC

The developer is able to determine — visually — the dates that contain the defects that are more or less relevant to the search keywords.

Visualization in Engineering

Furthermore, the ratings from different individuals may be more or less relevant for a specific recommendation and/or more or less trustworthy considering the overall rating behaviour of that individual.

Data Science and Engineering

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

Indeed, it was correctly used when the child was able to attribute an adequate label to the emotion, while when the child cannot conceptualize the emotion, the arousal value seems to be more ambiguous (for example for disgust) or less relevant (sadness).

Behavioral and Brain Functions

More or less ecologically relevant volatiles could act as components of 'noise' and further modify predator behavior towards attractive signals.

Plosone

The former focuses on reinterpreting the personal meaning of the emotional object to make it more or less self-relevant, while the latter focuses on reinterpreting the consequence or the reality of emotional stimuli without changing one's relationship to the stimuli [ 22].

BioMed Research International

The mercurial mind is matched by mercurial sights and sounds, by the readiness to put into a movie more or less whatever seems relevant to it, whether it fits a schema or not.

The New Yorker

Summing up, our results show that a trade-off is present between accounting systems emphasizing relevance and reliability, implying that there is no strong point for either favoring early or late, or alternatively more or less reliable or relevant, reporting from a contracting perspective.

Business Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "more or less relevant" to indicate a degree of relevance that is not absolute, allowing for nuance in your assessment. For example, 'The data was useful, though only more or less relevant to the final conclusion.'

Common error

Avoid using "more or less relevant" when the information is clearly irrelevant or entirely pertinent. If the information is essential, state it directly; if it's unrelated, omit it.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "more or less relevant" functions as an adjective phrase, modifying a noun to indicate the degree to which something is pertinent or applicable. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is a valid and usable expression in English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

42%

News & Media

33%

Encyclopedias

4%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "more or less relevant" serves as a useful tool to express the degree to which something is connected to a particular topic. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is valid and correct in English. Its usage is most common in scientific and news-related contexts, offering a balanced way to express partial relevance. Alternatives such as "somewhat relevant" or "partially relevant" can be used for conciseness. When using this phrase, ensure it accurately reflects the level of connection; avoid applying it when something is entirely unrelated or fully pertinent to maintain clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

somewhat relevant

This alternative uses a single adverb to convey a similar degree of relevance, simplifying the expression.

partially relevant

This phrase emphasizes that only a portion of something is relevant, indicating a limited connection.

marginally relevant

This suggests that the relevance is slight or barely noticeable.

tangentially related

This implies an indirect or peripheral connection to the topic.

loosely connected

This conveys a weak or unsubstantial link between items or ideas.

relatively pertinent

This means that the relevance is determined by comparison to something else.

approximately applicable

This phrase focuses on the applicability rather than general relevance, suggesting an estimation.

roughly applicable

This implies a lack of precision in how well something applies.

nearly related

This denotes that something is close to being related, but not quite.

vaguely pertinent

This phrase indicates that relevance is unclear or not well-defined.

FAQs

How can I use "more or less relevant" in a sentence?

You can use "more or less relevant" to describe something that has some connection to a topic but isn't completely essential. For example, "The side note was "more or less relevant" to the main argument."

What phrases are similar to "more or less relevant"?

Similar phrases include "somewhat relevant", "partially relevant", or "marginally relevant". The best choice depends on the specific degree of relevance you want to convey.

Is it always necessary to specify if something is "more or less relevant"?

No, you should only use the phrase when the degree of relevance is uncertain or when you want to emphasize that the connection is not absolute. If something is clearly relevant, stating it directly is preferable.

What's the difference between "more or less relevant" and "irrelevant"?

"More or less relevant" implies some degree of connection, while "irrelevant" means there is no connection at all. If something is "more or less relevant", it has some bearing on the topic; if it's irrelevant, it doesn't.