Significant: importance and noticeable size

The idea

Use significant before a noun or after a linking verb. It can describe importance or a noticeable amount.

Examples

• The discovery was significant for medicine.
• There was a significant rise in prices.
• The vote marked a significant change in policy.
• The garden needs a significant amount of water.
• This detail is significant to the investigation.
• The team made significant progress last week.

Watch out

A significant change need not be beneficial; the word does not say whether it is good or bad.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the adjective meaning important. The discovery matters greatly to research; it is ___. (significant / trivial)

   Show answer or example answer

   significant

   significant fits because the discovery matters to research.

2. Choose the adjective for a noticeable fall. Sales fell noticeably; the drop was ___. (significant / tiny)

   Show answer or example answer

   significant

   significant describes the noticeable fall in sales.

3. Choose what is not necessarily implied. A significant change is not necessarily ___. (bad / noticeable)

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   bad

   bad is not implied: the change could be beneficial.

Use it today

Describe one important event and one noticeable change.