importantly
ihm-PAW-tuhnt-lee
Importantly (adv) means used to highlight a point as especially significant. Example: “Importantly, the medicine caused no side effects in any of the patients.”
adv
1
Used to highlight a point as especially significant.
"Importantly, the medicine caused no side effects in any of the patients."
"Remember, and importantly, that you must save your work before closing the file."
"More importantly, the results were reproducible across every trial."
2
In a manner suggesting significance or self-importance.
"The new manager strode importantly down the corridor, nodding at no one."
"He cleared his throat importantly before announcing a very small change."
"He spoke importantly, as if his opinion settled the matter."
How to use importantly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUsed to flag the most significant point in a sentence.
Common pairings
more importantly
most importantly
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more importantly
- Superlative
- most importantly
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____, the medicine caused no side effects in any of the patients.
Etymology
From important + -ly.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for importantly
instantly
elegantly
valiantly
blatantly
distantly
abundantly
constantly
pleasantly
reluctantly
incessantly
brilliantly
triumphantly
See all rhymes for importantly →
Frequently asked questions
What does “importantly” mean?
The word “importantly” means used to highlight a point as especially significant. In plain terms, used to flag the most significant point in a sentence.
How do you pronounce “importantly”?
“Importantly” is pronounced ihm-PAW-tuhnt-lee (/ɪmˈpɔɹ.tənt.li/ in IPA).
How do you use “importantly” in a sentence?
Here is “importantly” used in a sentence: “More importantly, the results were reproducible across every trial.”
What part of speech is “importantly”?
“Importantly” is an adverb.
Is “importantly” a common word?
“Importantly” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “importantly” have?
“Importantly” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: used to highlight a point as especially significant.
Is it 'more importantly' or 'more important'?
Both are widely accepted at the start of a sentence: 'More importantly, the data was verified' and 'More important, the data was verified'. Some traditional style guides prefer 'more important', treating it as short for 'what is more important', but 'more importantly' is now the more common form and is considered standard. Choose one and use it consistently.
Can you start a sentence with importantly?
Yes. Used at the start of a sentence, importantly acts as a sentence adverb that flags the point as especially significant, and it is normally followed by a comma: 'Importantly, the results were repeated.' It most often appears reinforced as 'more importantly' or 'most importantly'.
Do you need a comma after 'most importantly'?
Yes — when 'most importantly' introduces a sentence, standard punctuation places a comma after it: 'Most importantly, back up your files.' The comma marks the phrase off as a comment on the whole sentence rather than part of the clause itself.
What is the difference between importantly and significantly?
As sentence adverbs, both highlight a point and are often interchangeable: 'Importantly, no side effects were reported.' However, significantly also means 'by a large amount', as in 'sales rose significantly', a use importantly does not share. Importantly can additionally describe a self-important manner, as in 'he strode about importantly'.
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