significant

adjective

sig-ˈni-fi-kənt How to pronounce significant (audio)
Definition of significantnext
1
as in major
having great meaning or lasting effect made a significant change in the procedure for applying for citizenship

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
3
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of significant The freight forwarding giant expects Khor Fakkan and Fujairah to remain under significant pressure in the coming weeks. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026 The order did not cover every category of marijuana but represented a significant shift in the federal treatment of medical marijuana. — Carolyn Schenck, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026 This is a significant improvement, but those are still relatively low numbers by industrial standards. — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2026 But now there is significant conflict over the management and direction of the Tom of Finland Foundation, which is based in Los Angeles and is devoted to preserving the legacy of the artist born Touko Laaksonen (1920–1991). — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for significant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for significant
  1. major
  2. indicative
  3. influential
  4. considerable
  5. suggestive
  6. important
  7. reflective
  8. powerful
Adjective
  • Despite the hefty reservation payments, the Roadster is unlikely to become a major revenue source for Tesla.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Her Instagram long-form project Excellences & Perfections, from 2014, however, was major cringe.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of major
Adjective
  • The telling sequence There’s not a sequence more indicative of the aforementioned separation than the end of the first half.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The congregation of athletic aficionados keen to connect with their idols and fellow fans is indicative of a wider trend.
    — Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of indicative
Adjective
  • William Perkins, an influential proponent of witch fever in late sixteenth-century England, notes that any miraculous power a witch or her objects appears to have is merely borrowed from Satan.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The federal government is planning to dramatically shrink its most influential health survey, and some researchers worry that the changes will underestimate how many Americans are disabled.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of influential
Adjective
  • But the fee puts considerable professional access within reach of people financing their own ambitions.
    — Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
  • In Japan, this has meant not only a great deal of collusion between yakuza gangs and law enforcement but also considerable overlap between crime and politics—especially, though not exclusively, right-wing politics.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of considerable
Adjective
  • The effect dissipates somewhat whenever Cahyono resorts to less suggestive, more blatantly surreal imagery.
    — Kambole Campbell, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Though revealing, his version of naked dressing was tantalizingly suggestive rather than explicitly bare.
    — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of suggestive
Adjective
  • Understanding the answer is often more important than the opportunity itself.
    — Aneri Jambusaria, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Ties between Ukraine and its most important backer the United States have also been strained by the apparent withdrawal of US intelligence sharing, and restrictions to the Starlink satellite internet service.
    — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of important
Adjective
  • On the other hand, many of these works are reflective of the time they were written.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • While prefering Goldman over Morgan Stanley , Jim doesn't think the 3% drop in MS is reflective of its business performance.
    — Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of reflective
Adjective
  • At Gucci, the iconic Horsebit takes center stage across bags, belts and shoes, transforming timeless house codes into powerful statement accessories.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Simon has weakened to a Category 2 storm, its eye remaining just offshore as its most powerful winds and rain slammed communities between the Sierra Madre and the ocean and were forecast to persist off the coast of Puerto Vallarta.
    — JAIMIE DING, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of powerful

Phrases Containing significant

Browse Nearby Words

significances
significant
significantly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Significant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/significant. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All