Definition

1. Noun:
   • The quality or state of being unrelated or not applicable to the matter being considered: "Irrelevance" refers to the lack of connection, importance, or significance to the current subject or situation.
   • Something that is unrelated or unimportant: It can also refer to a specific fact, comment, or detail that is not pertinent.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • The judge dismissed the lawyer's argument as complete irrelevance to the case.
  • In a crisis, personal feelings are often seen as an irrelevance.
  • His lengthy story about his vacation was an irrelevance during the budget meeting.

Advanced Usage

• "To be of irrelevance": To be completely unimportant or unrelated.

  • The defendant's past employment is of total irrelevance to the charges of theft.

• "To highlight the irrelevance of something": To emphasize that something is not connected or important.

  • The new data highlights the irrelevance of the old theory.

Variants and Related Words

• Irrelevancy (n): A less common variant with the same meaning as "irrelevance." It can also refer to an irrelevant thing.

  • He was fond of pointing out irrelevancies in the discussion.

• Irrelevant (adj): Not connected with or relevant to something.

  • That historical fact is interesting but irrelevant to our modern problem.

Synonyms

• Immateriality: The quality of being irrelevant or unimportant.
• Inapplicability: The state of not being relevant or applicable.

Antonyms

• Relevance: The quality or state of being closely connected or appropriate.
• Pertinence: The quality of being relevant or applicable.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "A side issue and an irrelevance": Used to describe a point that is distracting and not central to the main topic.
  • Whether the meeting room was blue or green is a side issue and an irrelevance; we need to focus on the contract terms.

Noun

1. the lack of a relation of something to the matter at hand