significant
sihg-NIHF-ih-kuhnt
Significant (adj) means Important enough to be noticed or to have a real effect. Example: “The new bridge made a significant difference to travel times.”
adj
1
Important enough to be noticed or to have a real effect.
"The new bridge made a significant difference to travel times."
"A significant change in temperature can affect how the plants grow."
"There has been a significant improvement in her health."
2
Fairly large in size, number, or amount.
"A significant number of students walk to school every day."
"He made a significant amount of money from selling his old car."
"A significant portion of the budget goes toward salaries."
3
Unlikely to have happened by chance, especially in statistics.
"The scientist checked whether the difference was significant or just chance."
"Because the sample was small, the result was not statistically significant."
"The results were statistically significant."
How to use significant
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNotable, meaningful, or large enough to matter — not to be confused with merely "big".
Common pairings
significant impact
significant increase
statistically significant
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Word forms
- Plural
- significants
- Comparative
- more significant
- Superlative
- most significant
Fill the gap
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The new bridge made a _____ difference to travel times.
Etymology
From Latin significans, present participle of significare ("to signify, indicate").
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for significant
See all rhymes for significant →Frequently asked questions
What does “significant” mean?
The word “significant” means important enough to be noticed or to have a real effect. In plain terms, notable, meaningful, or large enough to matter — not to be confused with merely "big".
How do you pronounce “significant”?
“Significant” is pronounced sihg-NIHF-ih-kuhnt (/sɪɡˈnɪf.ə.kənt/ in IPA).
How do you use “significant” in a sentence?
Here is “significant” used in a sentence: “There has been a significant improvement in her health.”
What is another word for “significant”?
Words with a similar meaning to “significant” include important.
What is the opposite of “significant”?
The opposite of “significant” — its antonyms — are insignificant, ignorable, negligible and slight.
What part of speech is “significant”?
“Significant” is an adjective.
Where does the word “significant” come from?
The word “significant” comes from Latin. From Latin significans, present participle of significare ("to signify, indicate").
Is “significant” a common word?
“Significant” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
What is the difference between significant and important?
They overlap, but the emphasis differs. 'Important' stresses value or priority — something that matters and deserves attention. 'Significant' stresses having a real, noticeable effect or meaning — enough to make a difference or signal something. A significant change is one large enough to be measured; an important one is simply worth caring about.
What does 'statistically significant' mean?
In statistics, a result is 'significant' when it is unlikely to have happened by chance alone. Researchers set a threshold — often a probability below 5% — and if the data clears it, they treat the effect as real rather than random. It does not necessarily mean the effect is large or important.
What is the opposite of significant?
Common opposites are 'insignificant,' 'negligible,' and 'trivial' — all describing something too small to matter or be noticed. 'Minor,' 'slight' and 'unimportant' work too. In the statistical sense, the opposite is 'non-significant,' meaning a result that could easily be down to chance.
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