significant
Having a noticeable or major effect.
Word facts
Definition of Significant
Reasonably large in number or amount.
Example sentences
That was a significant step in the right direction.
Using Significant well
A closer look at how significant is used — meaning in plain English, how close synonyms differ, and examples at different levels.
Large or important enough to matter or be worth noticing.
Use 'significant' when you want to signal real importance or a meaningful amount without overstating it. In statistics it has a precise technical sense ('statistically significant'), so avoid it loosely in that context.
Common in reports, news, research, and business writing ('a significant increase', 'significant risk', 'significant other').
In everyday use 'significant' means important, but in statistics 'statistically significant' means unlikely to be due to chance, which does not necessarily mean large or practically important.
- considerable
- Stresses size or amount rather than importance; 'a considerable sum' emphasizes how much, not how meaningful.
- notable
- Highlights that something deserves attention or notice, a lighter claim than full importance.
- substantial
- Emphasizes solid, real quantity or weight; more concrete and less about meaning than 'significant'.
- momentous
- Much stronger; reserved for events of great and lasting importance, like history-making moments.
- meaningful
- Focuses on personal or emotional importance and value, rather than measurable size or statistical weight.
- insignificant
- Too small or unimportant to matter.
- negligible
- So small it can safely be ignored, often of amounts or effects.
- trivial
- Of little importance or seriousness.
- Beginner The new medicine made a significant difference to how she felt.
- In writing Sales rose by a significant margin this quarter, outpacing every forecast the team had made.
- Advanced The dip was statistically significant yet clinically trivial, a reminder that a small p-value is not the same as a finding that matters.
'Significant' shares a root with 'signify' (to mean or point to), so a significant thing is one that carries real meaning.
Synonyms for Significant
Antonyms for Significant
Related words
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Words that rhyme with Significant
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FAQ
Questions people ask
What does significant mean?
Having a noticeable or major effect. It is an adjective.
How many syllables does significant have?
Significant has 4 syllables: suhg·nih·fih·kuhnt. The word is broken into 4 spoken beats.
What part of speech is significant?
Significant is used as an adjective. As a noun, it names a thing, idea, or concept.
What are synonyms for significant?
Words with similar meanings to significant include profound, substantial, portentous, prodigious. The best synonym depends on the exact context you are writing or reading in.
How do you use significant in a sentence?
Example: "That was a significant step in the right direction."