significant
adjective
sig·nif·i·cant sig-ˈni-fi-kənt 
1
: having meaning
especially : suggestive
a significant glance
2
a
: having or likely to have influence or effect : important
a significant piece of legislation
also : of a noticeably or measurably large amount
a significant number of layoffs
producing significant profits
b
: probably caused by something other than mere chance
statistically significant correlation between vitamin deficiency and disease
Synonyms
- eloquent
- expressive
- meaning
- meaningful
- pregnant
- revealing
- revelatory
- suggestive
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Historians of ancient gender have seen this as crucially significant. Women in antiquity were by definition so disempowered that the authority of a new female ruler could only be captured by representing her in the guise of a man. Or so the argument goes. 
Mary Beard, New York Review of Books, 12 Feb. 2009 While Congress will take a significant role in designing new regulation and is not likely to rubber-stamp the administration's proposals, momentum is strong for the creation of comprehensive financial reform. Marc I. Seltzer et al., Commonweal, 19 June 2009 A new study on women and the media from the University of Missouri-Columbia shows that overweight women and women with eating disorders are not the only ones negatively affected by unrealistic advertisements (as previous studies have indicated). After viewing images of models, women of all sizes reported a significant decrease in satisfaction with their weight, hair, physical shape and sexual attractiveness. Ms., Summer 2007 One of [Charles] Darwin's most extraordinary qualities was his ability to recognize when a scientific question could not be answered because of the limitations of the science of his day. He knew, for instance, that during his lifetime, no significant progress would be made on the question of how life began. Amy Stewart, Wilson Quarterly, Winter 2004 A significant number of customers complained about the service. He won a significant amount of money. There is a significant difference in prices between the two stores. The study found a statistically significant decrease in symptoms in patients who had taken the drug. a significant event in the history of our nation Fish is a significant part of their diet. It is significant that she never mentioned him. He gave us a significant wink. See More
Mary Beard, New York Review of Books, 12 Feb. 2009 While Congress will take a significant role in designing new regulation and is not likely to rubber-stamp the administration's proposals, momentum is strong for the creation of comprehensive financial reform. Marc I. Seltzer et al., Commonweal, 19 June 2009 A new study on women and the media from the University of Missouri-Columbia shows that overweight women and women with eating disorders are not the only ones negatively affected by unrealistic advertisements (as previous studies have indicated). After viewing images of models, women of all sizes reported a significant decrease in satisfaction with their weight, hair, physical shape and sexual attractiveness. Ms., Summer 2007 One of [Charles] Darwin's most extraordinary qualities was his ability to recognize when a scientific question could not be answered because of the limitations of the science of his day. He knew, for instance, that during his lifetime, no significant progress would be made on the question of how life began. Amy Stewart, Wilson Quarterly, Winter 2004 A significant number of customers complained about the service. He won a significant amount of money. There is a significant difference in prices between the two stores. The study found a statistically significant decrease in symptoms in patients who had taken the drug. a significant event in the history of our nation Fish is a significant part of their diet. It is significant that she never mentioned him. He gave us a significant wink. See More Recent Examples on the Web The agency also reported a significant reduction in response times, plunging from 2.5 minutes to 42 seconds. Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY, 17 Sep. 2022 That said, there is little doubt that Greek and Roman women were born into societies that heavily privileged males over females, and the resulting imbalance has led to a dearth of significant non-academic writing about the women of the time. Rachel Ashcroft, Longreads, 17 Sep. 2022 Photos are scarce since the house was never officially listed for sale, but aerial shots show that the home underwent a significant remodel in recent years. Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2022 Over the weekend, a UW vessel using multiple types of sonar was able to identify a significant portion of the plane. Sarah Grace Taylor, Anchorage Daily News, 13 Sep. 2022 In cities elsewhere in Oregon, franchise fees generated by other data centers’ electricity use make up a significant portion of public revenue. oregonlive, 8 Sep. 2022 The Elmer’s Auto & Toy Museum is selling a significant portion of its collection through Mecum Auctions later this month, and the lot includes almost 800 classic pedal cars. Sebastian Blanco, Car and Driver, 4 Sep. 2022 Ohio State football played a significant portion of the first half against Notre Dame without one of the nation’s top receivers. Nathan Baird, cleveland, 3 Sep. 2022 The horses and officers are often at community events, though a significant portion of the job is dedicated to patrol. Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 2 Sep. 2022 See More
Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY, 17 Sep. 2022 That said, there is little doubt that Greek and Roman women were born into societies that heavily privileged males over females, and the resulting imbalance has led to a dearth of significant non-academic writing about the women of the time. Rachel Ashcroft, Longreads, 17 Sep. 2022 Photos are scarce since the house was never officially listed for sale, but aerial shots show that the home underwent a significant remodel in recent years. Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2022 Over the weekend, a UW vessel using multiple types of sonar was able to identify a significant portion of the plane. Sarah Grace Taylor, Anchorage Daily News, 13 Sep. 2022 In cities elsewhere in Oregon, franchise fees generated by other data centers’ electricity use make up a significant portion of public revenue. oregonlive, 8 Sep. 2022 The Elmer’s Auto & Toy Museum is selling a significant portion of its collection through Mecum Auctions later this month, and the lot includes almost 800 classic pedal cars. Sebastian Blanco, Car and Driver, 4 Sep. 2022 Ohio State football played a significant portion of the first half against Notre Dame without one of the nation’s top receivers. Nathan Baird, cleveland, 3 Sep. 2022 The horses and officers are often at community events, though a significant portion of the job is dedicated to patrol. Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 2 Sep. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Latin significant-, significans, present participle of significare to signify
First Known Use
1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing significant
Kids Definition
significant
adjective
sig·nif·i·cant sig-ˈni-fi-kənt
1
: having a special or hidden meaning
The teacher gave them a significant smile.
2
: important sense 1
These changes are significant.
3
: large enough to be noticed He donated a significant amount of money.
Medical Definition
significant
adjective
sig·nif·i·cant sig-ˈnif-i-kənt
: probably caused by something other than mere chance
a statistically significant correlation between diet and disease
significant
adjective
1
as in suggestive
clearly conveying a special meaning (as one's mood) after remarking that tardiness was on the rise, our boss cast a significant glance my way Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- suggestive
- meaningful
- revealing
- meaning
- eloquent
- expressive
- revelatory
- reminiscent
- vivid
- pregnant
- graphic
- graphical
- evocative
- pictorial
- redolent
- rich
- flavorful
- weighty
- sententious
- full-bodied
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unexpressive
2
as in indicative
indicating something the town's generous library budget is significant of the value its residents place on learning Synonyms & Similar Words
- indicative
- reflective
- characteristic
- signifying
- telltale
- symbolic
- denoting
- symptomatic
- denotative
- allusive
- alluding
- expressive
- demonstrative
- referring
- symbolical
- exhibiting
- implying
- hinting
- suggestive
- connoting
- insinuating
3
as in major
having great meaning or lasting effect made a significant change in the procedure for applying for citizenship Synonyms & Similar Words
- major
- important
- historic
- big
- substantial
- much
- meaningful
- monumental
- momentous
- exceptional
- tectonic
- remarkable
- pivotal
- distinguished
- consequential
- notable
- noteworthy
- eventful
- outstanding
- decisive
- material
- serious
- earthshaking
- earth-shattering
- prominent
- distinctive
- strategic
- outstanding
- crucial
- weighty
- great
- valuable
- worthy
- seminal
- impressive
- fatal
- worthwhile
- key
- critical
- fateful
- famous
- essential
- eminent
- prestigious
- earnest
- sincere
- grave
- central
- vital
- illustrious
- notorious
- heavy
- renowned
- preeminent
- noble
- all-important
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- small
- minor
- insignificant
- little
- slight
- negligible
- trivial
- unimportant
- inconsiderable
- inconsequential
- trifling
- worthless
- petty
- paltry
- unknown
- obscure
- anonymous
- nameless
- uncelebrated
4
as in influential
having great power or influence a producer who is playing a significant role in the creation of the new film Synonyms & Similar Words
- influential
- powerful
- important
- strong
- prominent
- potent
- mighty
- notable
- heavy
- senior
- outstanding
- great
- distinguished
- top
- noteworthy
- celebrated
- dominant
- effective
- capable
- able
- puissant
- heavy-duty
- famous
- efficient
- robust
- renowned
- competent
- notorious
- prestigious
- dynamic
- eminent
- high-level
- illustrious
- vigorous
- famed
- preeminent
- magisterial
- authoritarian
- energetic
- despotic
- noble
- forceful
- autocratic
- tyrannical
- autocratical
- dictatorial
- tyrannic
- high-powered
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- insignificant
- little
- unimportant
- weak
- powerless
- helpless
- impotent
- feeble
- unknown
- obscure
- flimsy
- infirm
- frail
- anonymous
- incapable
- ineffective
- nameless
- incompetent
- unqualified
- unfit
- unskilled
- uncelebrated
- inept
- inexpert
- unskillful
5
as in considerable
sufficiently large in size, amount, or number to merit attention paid a significant amount of money for the movie rights to the book Synonyms & Similar Words
- considerable
- substantial
- sizable
- major
- tremendous
- huge
- good
- substantive
- big
- great
- massive
- respectable
- sizeable
- handsome
- healthy
- largish
- goodly
- tidy
- biggish
- enormous
- hefty
- colossal
- immense
- outsize
- gigantic
- voluminous
- monumental
- bulky
- outsized
- prodigious
- oversize
- astronomical
- whopping
- hulking
- mammoth
- titanic
- monstrous
- herculean
- elephantine
- oversized
- bumper
- jumbo
- astronomic
- king-sized
- king-size
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- insignificant
- negligible
- inconsiderable
- nominal
- inconsequential
- trivial
- unimportant
- marginal
- insubstantial
- slight
- trifling
- small
- petty
- puny
- meager
- paltry
- piddling
- little
- minute
- meagre
- tiny
- picayune
- measly
- diminutive
- undersize
- undersized
- smallish
- picayunish
- pocket
- miniature
- bitty
- pygmy
- pocket-sized
- pocket-size
- pint-sized
- pint-size