3 syllables: Rel, e, vant. Stress on Rel.
REL-uh-vuhnt
/ˈɹɛləvənt/
Relevant is pronounced REL-uh-vuhnt (/ˈɹɛləvənt/). It has three syllables (Rel-e-vant), with the stress on "Rel". Relevant is an adjective meaning closely connected or appropriate to the matter at hand. It denotes something pertinent to a topic or situation and is often used to filter information or arguments that bear directly on the subject. In usage, it signals applicability and significance within a discussion or decision.
adjectiveRelevant is an adjective meaning closely connected or appropriate to the matter at hand. It denotes something pertinent to a topic or situation and is often used to filter information or arguments that bear directly on the subject. In usage, it signals applicability and significance within a discussion or decision.
"The lawyer argued that the evidence was relevant to the case."
"Please provide only relevant details for the report."
"Her comment was not relevant to the discussion and was dismissed."
Pronounced /ˈreləvənt/. Stress on the first syllable: REL-ə-vənt. The middle vowel is a schwa, and the final syllable contains a light, unstressed schwa + nt. Think “REL-uh-vuhnt.” Audio reference: compare listen-and-repeat with standard American/British sources for the same transcription.
Common errors include stressing the second syllable (re-LÉ-viant misplacement) and pronouncing the final ‘t’ as fully vocalized (rele-VANT). Another frequent miss is reducing the first syllable too much, like /ˈrelənvənt/ with an extra syllable. Correction: keep primary stress on REL, use a clear but short /ə/ in the second syllable, and end with a light /nt/ without a strong consonant burst.
In US/UK/AU, the initial /ˈrel/ is consistent. The main differences lie in vowel length and rhoticity; rhotic accents may have a slightly stronger rhotic quality in the second syllable, but for this word the /ə/ remains a neutral schwa. AU tends to be more clipped with a quicker /ə/ and a slightly higher vowel quality in the second syllable. Overall, the /ˈreləvənt/ pattern remains stable across regions, with subtle vowel timing variations.
The difficulty lies in the three-syllable rhythm with a strong initial stress and a quick, unstressed middle syllable. The central /ə/ in /lə/ can be reduced inconsistently in fast speech, and many speakers mistakenly pronounce /ˈrɛlɪvənt/ with a short, tense vowel in the first syllable. Focus on holding REL with a light, accurate /ə/ in the second syllable and a soft /nt/ at the end.
A unique angle is the potential confusion with the related adjective 'relevant' vs. 'irrelevant' in formality and nuance. The pronunciation itself remains identical, but listeners gauge relevance by how clearly you deliver the word in context—emphasizing its role in linking evidence or points directly to the topic. Ensure you deliver REL as the anchor of your sentence when arguing pertinence.
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Relevant comes from the Old French relev or relev-, from relever, meaning to raise or lift up, in the sense of bringing information to matter. The Latin root relev- stems from relevare (to lift up, alleviate). The modern sense—closely connected or appropriate—emerged in English during the late Middle English/early Modern English period as usage shifted from literal “lifting up” to “bearing upon” or “having bearing on.” Early uses framed things as bearing relevance to a topic, with the word gradually adopting its current semantic domain around the 16th to 18th centuries, paralleling the legal and rhetorical emphasis on bearing, applicability, and pertinence in argumentation and discourse.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Relevant" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Relevant" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Relevant"
-ent sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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