- Have you ever struggled to explain why a specific piece of information is important to a conversation?
- Do you find yourself repeating the same basic words instead of using more precise professional English?
- Are you unsure which preposition—”to,” “with,” or “for”—should follow the word relevant?
Mastering relevant collocations is a vital step toward English fluency. In natural speech and professional writing, words rarely exist in isolation; they live in “word partnerships.” Using the correct pairings for “relevant” ensures your speech sounds natural, reduces cognitive load for your listener, and demonstrates a high level of linguistic precision.
Common Collocations with Relevant as an Adjective
In modern English, “relevant” is almost exclusively used as an adjective. To use it effectively, you must understand which adverbs intensify it and which prepositions link it to the rest of your sentence.
Adverb + Relevant (Degrees of Importance)
These collocations help you specify exactly how much something matters to the current context.
- Highly relevant: Extremely important or closely connected. (Example: The candidate’s previous experience in tech is highly relevant to this role.)
- Directly relevant: Having a clear and immediate connection. (Example: Please only include details that are directly relevant to the insurance claim.)
- Particularly relevant: Especially important in a specific situation. (Example: This law is particularly relevant for small business owners.)
- Socially relevant: Important to society or current social issues. (Example: The documentary covers socially relevant themes like climate change and migration.)
- Marginally relevant: Only slightly connected; not very important. (Example: His comments were only marginally relevant to the actual problem we were solving.)
Verb + Relevant (State of Being)
These verbs describe the status of information or skills as they relate to a topic.
- Remain relevant: To stay useful or important over time. (Example: In a fast-changing market, old skills must be updated to remain relevant.)
- Become relevant: To start being important due to a change in circumstances. (Example: These old documents suddenly became relevant during the court trial.)
- Consider (something) relevant: To judge something as being important. (Example: We do not consider your hobbies relevant to this academic application.)
- Seem relevant: To appear to have a connection. (Example: That data didn’t seem relevant at first, but now it makes sense.)
Relevant + Preposition
The most critical part of using this word is choosing the correct “bridge” to the next noun.
- Relevant to: The standard and most common preposition. (Example: This information is relevant to our discussion.)
- Relevant for: Often used when discussing a specific group or purpose. (Example: This training is highly relevant for new employees.)
The Master Summary Table
| Collocation | Part of Speech | Quick Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Highly relevant | Adverb + Adjective | Very closely connected to the topic. |
| Relevant to | Adjective + Preposition | Connected or applicable to something else. |
| Remain relevant | Verb + Adjective | Staying useful despite changes in time. |
| Directly relevant | Adverb + Adjective | Having a straight, clear connection. |
| Widely relevant | Adverb + Adjective | Important to many different people or fields. |
Common Mistakes: Natural vs Unnatural
| Do Not Say | Say This |
|---|---|
| This is relevant with the topic. | This is relevant to the topic. |
| Your point is very of relevance. | Your point is highly relevant. |
| He has big relevant experience. | He has highly relevant experience. |
| The news is actual relevant. | The news is currently relevant. |
“Thank you for submitting your project proposal. While your research into historical trends is fascinating, we need to focus on data that is directly relevant to our current fiscal year. To remain relevant in this competitive market, we must ensure our strategy is highly relevant to our customers’ immediate needs. Please revise the section on ‘Future Goals’ as it is only marginally relevant to the current budget discussion.”
Frequently Asked Questions about Relevant Collocations
Is it “relevant to” or “relevant with”?
In 2024, the standard preposition is “to.” While you might occasionally hear “with” in very informal or non-native speech, “relevant to” is the linguistically correct form used in professional and academic English worldwide.
What is the difference between “relevant” and “related”?
“Related” means there is a general connection between two things (like family members). “Relevant” is stronger; it means the connection is useful, important, or applicable to the current matter at hand.
Can I use “relevant” as a verb?
No, “relevant” is strictly an adjective. If you need a verb, you should use “relate” (e.g., “How does this relate to the project?”). To use “relevant,” you must pair it with a linking verb like “to be” or “to seem.”
How do I say “not relevant” more professionally?
Instead of just saying “not relevant,” you can use collocations like “largely irrelevant,” “completely extraneous,” or “not applicable (N/A).”
Is “highly relevant” better than “very relevant”?
While “very relevant” is grammatically correct, “highly relevant” is a stronger, more common collocation in business and academic writing. Using “highly” demonstrates a more sophisticated command of English (EEAT signals).
What are some of the most common mistakes non-native speakers make when using 'relevant'? Besides the prepositions, I mean.
That's a very practical question, Lars! Besides prepositional errors, common mistakes include: 1) Overuse or using it when 'important' or 'pertinent' might be more precise. 2) Using it too informally in very casual settings. 3) Not recognizing that it needs to be *relevant to something* – omitting the 'to X' part can make it vague. Focusing on those 'word partnerships' helps avoid these pitfalls!
This blog is a lifesaver for improving my professional English! Thank you for consistently providing such useful content.
Does 'relevant' have slightly different connotations in academic writing versus, say, business reports? I feel like in academia, it's often followed by 'to the hypothesis' or 'to the research question.'
You're absolutely right, Yuki! While the core meaning remains, its usage can be specialized. In academic writing, 'relevant to the hypothesis/theory/study' is very common, emphasizing intellectual connection. In business, it might be 'relevant to the project objectives/market trends,' highlighting practical applicability. The context often guides the specific noun that follows the preposition.
Thanks for the tip on 'relevant to' vs 'relevant for'! It makes more sense now. I'm eager for the part that details specific preposition rules.
You're very welcome, Mateo! We're glad it helped. Stay tuned, the upcoming sections will definitely dive deep into the nuances of prepositions with 'relevant' to give you all the precise rules you need!
I sometimes confuse 'relevant' with 'related'. What is the key difference? Both seem to mean a connection.
Great question, Kofi! Both words imply a connection, but 'relevant' specifically means *directly connected and important to the current situation or topic*. 'Related' simply means there's a connection, but not necessarily one of importance or direct applicability to the immediate context. For example, 'Your cousin is *related* to you,' but 'His previous work experience is *relevant* to this job opening.'
You mentioned 'relevant' is almost exclusively an adjective. I've occasionally seen 'relevance' used as a noun. Are there particular collocations associated with the noun form, or does it follow similar patterns with prepositions?
Excellent point, Mei! While the article focuses on the adjective, the noun 'relevance' is also very important. Common collocations include 'the relevance *of* X *to* Y,' 'establish the relevance,' 'question the relevance,' or 'assess the relevance.' The prepositions 'of' and 'to' are indeed frequently used with the noun form to connect the topic and its subject.
For my students who are struggling with basic vocabulary, would you recommend introducing 'relevant' early, or is it more of an intermediate-to-advanced term? I find the preposition usage can be tricky.
Svetlana, that's a thoughtful question! While 'relevant' itself is a useful word, its precise collocation (especially with prepositions) can indeed be challenging for beginners. We'd suggest introducing it around the intermediate level, focusing initially on its core meaning and common uses like 'relevant to.' The advanced adverbial collocations can be reserved for higher levels.
Finally, an article that tackles this! I always struggled with using 'relevant' correctly. This is exactly what I needed to sound more native. Keep up the amazing work!
Is 'relevant' the same as 'pertinent'? I sometimes hear both words in meetings and wonder if they're interchangeable.
That's a fantastic question, Chloe! 'Relevant' and 'pertinent' are indeed very close in meaning and often interchangeable. 'Pertinent' sometimes carries a slightly stronger sense of being *directly* to the point or *precisely* applicable, especially in legal or very formal contexts. Both are excellent words for showing connection and importance!
The examples given for 'highly relevant' and 'directly relevant' are very clear. Could you perhaps provide one more example for 'particularly relevant' to really solidify the difference?
Absolutely, Raj! 'Particularly relevant' highlights something that stands out among other relevant points. For instance: 'While all the data is useful, the customer feedback from the past month is *particularly relevant* to our new marketing strategy.' It implies a special emphasis on that specific item.