Significant is a standard English adjective meaning important, meaningful, or large enough to deserve attention. It can describe a major event, a noticeable change, a meaningful relationship, or a result that meets a formal statistical test. The exact sense depends on context: a significant discovery may matter because of its consequences, while a statistically significant result has a technical meaning that does not necessarily make it important in everyday terms. Knowing these distinctions helps you use the word precisely and avoid overstating what a fact or result proves.
What Does Significant Mean?
In ordinary use, significant describes something that has importance, meaning, or a noticeable effect. A significant decision can shape what happens next; a significant change is substantial enough to be noticed or to matter; and a significant detail may help explain a situation. The word does not always mean enormous. A small detail can be significant if it changes the interpretation of a conversation, document, or event.
The word also appears in technical settings, especially research and statistics. There, statistically significant refers to a result assessed under a statistical procedure and its assumptions. That technical sense is narrower than “important.” A finding can meet a statistical significance threshold yet have a modest practical effect. Conversely, an effect that matters in practice may not meet a particular statistical threshold. The surrounding words tell you which sense is intended.
In the phrase significant other, the adjective has become part of a familiar noun phrase for a person’s romantic partner. The expression is often used when the speaker does not want to specify a partner’s gender or marital status. It is established usage, though it can sound a little formal or indirect in casual conversation.
Origin and Word History
Significant came into English through Old French, from Latin significantem, a form of significans, meaning “indicating” or “signifying.” The Latin verb significare means to signify or make known; it is formed from signum, meaning a sign or mark, and a form of facere, meaning to make or do. The word’s history therefore connects its present meanings of importance and meaning with the older idea of indicating something.
It is not slang or a nonstandard expression. It is a conventional adjective used in conversation, journalism, education, business, and academic writing. Its formality varies with the sentence: “That was a significant change” is ordinary, while “the results were statistically significant” belongs to a more specialized discussion. The related noun is significance, and the related adverb is significantly.
How Significant Is Used in Everyday Context
In general conversation, the adjective usually signals that a person considers something consequential or worth noticing. For example, “The repair made a significant difference to how quietly the room worked” says the change was noticeable and useful. “She made a significant contribution to the project” emphasizes the value of her work, without specifying an exact amount. In both examples, the word conveys importance rather than a measurable size.
It often modifies nouns such as change, difference, effect, role, impact, amount, and increase. Some of these combinations are flexible. A “significant increase” may be substantial in ordinary terms, but the phrase alone does not tell the reader how much the amount changed. If the scale matters, give the actual comparison or describe the evidence instead of relying on the adjective.
In reporting, workplace communication, and academic prose, significant can help summarize why a fact matters. It should not be used simply to make a claim sound stronger. “A significant delay” is useful when the delay affects a deadline or outcome; if it is only a few minutes and has no consequence, a more specific description may be clearer. Context gives the reader a basis for understanding the judgment.
Grammar, Pronunciation, and Common Forms
Significant is an adjective. It can appear before a noun, as in “a significant finding,” or after a linking verb, as in “the difference was significant.” Its usual pronunciation has the main stress on the second syllable: sig-NIF-i-cant. In speech, the final syllables may be less strongly pronounced, but the spelling remains the same.
The comparative and superlative forms are more significant and most significant. These are generally more natural than adding -er or -est. For example, “The second result is more significant than the first” compares their importance. The comparison should be clear: more significant in what respect, and according to what evidence or standard?
Significantly is the adverb form. It can mean “to a notable degree,” as in “Costs fell significantly,” or it can modify a verb to describe an important manner or effect. Significance is the noun: “The significance of the change became clear later.” These forms are related, but they do not fit interchangeably. Say “a significant improvement,” not “a significance improvement,” and “the result changed significantly,” not “changed significant.”
Statistically Significant: A Technical Meaning
In statistical reporting, significant usually appears as part of the phrase statistically significant. It indicates that a result met a chosen criterion in a statistical test, under the test’s assumptions. Researchers use such tests to evaluate how compatible observed data are with a specified null hypothesis. The phrase does not, by itself, establish that a result is large, useful, causal, or certain to recur.
This distinction matters when reading news about research. A statistically significant difference could be small in practical terms, and the phrase does not reveal the quality of the study on its own. Readers may also need to know the size of the effect, the amount and quality of data, the method, and the uncertainty around the estimate. A report that says only “significant” may leave out information needed to judge the finding.
In this context, avoid using significant as a casual synonym for “important” unless the meaning is unmistakable. If the claim concerns a test result, use the full phrase or describe the result in plain language. If you mean that an effect matters in real life, say “practically important,” “substantial,” or explain the consequence. The distinction prevents readers from confusing a statistical label with a judgment about value.
Examples of Significant in Sentences
These examples show how context changes the emphasis of the word:
- “The new schedule made a significant difference to the team’s ability to meet deadlines.” Here, the change had a meaningful practical effect.
- “A significant portion of the garden receives afternoon shade.” This describes a substantial part, though the exact proportion is not given.
- “The report identifies a significant gap in the available records.” The gap matters to the report’s analysis.
- “The study found a statistically significant association between the two measured factors.” This describes a statistical result, not proof that one factor caused the other.
- “He introduced his significant other to the group.” The phrase means his romantic partner.
Notice that none of these examples gives a precise measurement just by using significant. Where precision matters, add the number, comparison, or relevant standard. Where the judgment is subjective, explain why the issue deserves attention.
Common Misunderstandings and Usage Problems
A frequent misunderstanding is that significant always means “very large.” It can refer to size or quantity, as in “a significant amount of rain,” but it can also describe meaning or consequence. A brief comment may be significant because it reveals a key fact, even though it is not large in any physical sense.
Another common problem is treating “statistically significant” as proof of cause and effect. A statistical association does not automatically show that one factor caused another. The design of the research and other possible explanations matter. The word should not be asked to carry more meaning than the evidence supports.
Writers sometimes use significant as an intensifier without explaining the basis for it: “a significant issue,” “a significant amount,” or “a significant improvement.” These phrases are not wrong, but they can be vague. If the reader needs to make a decision, identify what changed, how it compares with the earlier state, or why it affects the outcome. Specific details are often more informative than a general label.
Finally, do not confuse significant with signified. The former means important, meaningful, or noteworthy. Signified is the past tense of the verb signify, meaning indicated or represented. “The mark signified a boundary” and “the boundary was significant” are grammatical, but they make different claims.
Choosing a Clearer Alternative
The best substitute depends on what you mean. If you mean “important,” consider consequential, noteworthy, or important. If you mean a large amount or degree, use substantial or provide a precise measure. If you mean easy to notice, noticeable or marked may be more direct. If you mean that something carries personal or symbolic meaning, meaningful may fit better.
These words are not perfect equivalents. Consequential emphasizes effects; noteworthy means deserving attention; and substantial points toward size, degree, or extent. Before replacing significant, ask what the sentence needs to communicate. “A substantial reduction” focuses on scale, while “a consequential decision” focuses on what follows from the decision.
When you are unsure, make the sentence concrete. Instead of writing “There was a significant improvement,” explain what improved and how the change can be observed. In a research summary, distinguish the measured result from its practical implications. That approach makes the meaning clear without asking one flexible adjective to do too much work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is significant a formal word?
Significant is a standard English word used in both formal and everyday settings. It is not slang or nonstandard. Some combinations, such as statistically significant, belong to technical writing, but the basic adjective is common in ordinary speech.
Does significant mean important or large?
It can mean either, depending on context. It often means important or meaningful, but it can also describe a substantial amount or noticeable degree. The sentence should make clear whether the emphasis is on consequence, meaning, or scale.
What does statistically significant mean?
It means a result met a specified criterion in a statistical test, given the method and its assumptions. It does not automatically mean the result is large, practically important, causal, or certain.
Is significant other formal or slang?
Significant other is an established, standard expression for a romantic partner. It is often used when a speaker wants a gender-neutral or relationship-neutral phrase. Depending on the conversation, “partner” may sound more natural and concise.
What is the difference between significant and significance?
Significant is an adjective, as in “a significant event.” Significance is a noun, as in “the significance of the event.” Use the adjective to describe a person, thing, or result, and the noun to name its importance or meaning.