significance
Americannoun
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importance; consequence.
the significance of the new treaty.
- Antonyms:
- triviality
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meaning; import.
The familiar place had a new significance for her.
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the quality of being significant or having a meaning.
to give significance to dull chores.
noun
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consequence or importance
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something signified, expressed, or intended
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the state or quality of being significant
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statistics
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a measure of the confidence that can be placed in a result, esp a substantive causal hypothesis, as not being merely a matter of chance
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( as modifier ) Compare confidence level See also hypothesis testing
a significance level
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Synonym Usage
See importance. See meaning.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of significance
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English (from Middle French ), from Latin significantia “force, meaning,” equivalent to significant- ( see significant) + -ia -ia; ( see -ance)
Explanation
Significance means having the quality of being "significant" — meaningful, important. It also refers to the meaning of something. A certain date might have significance because it's your birthday or the anniversary of Princess Di's wedding. Significance starts with the word sign for a reason. An item's significance is a sign of its importance. The significance of something can be implicit or explicit — meaning it can be clear or only known with a deeper understanding of the situation. Your perfect score on the Calculus exam might have added significance for people who know that you never even opened your textbook to study.
Vocabulary lists containing significance
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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Nothing But the Truth
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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He’s just bracingly honest and notoriously wobbly when asked to verbalize the significance of everything and anything — from his poetically dense lyricism to the whole of his revered music career.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
As Mr. Rozelle shared the details from the release, the significance of the merger became clear: Mr. Rozelle would be commissioner of the new combined league.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
In fact, the film’s dullness only underscores the significance of this transition.
From Salon • Jun. 6, 2026
In 2025, he apologised after facing backlash for mimicking a ritual sequence from the hit Kannada film Kantara at a film festival event, with critics accusing him of disrespecting its cultural significance.
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026
Particular places might hold spiritual or religious significance for any Indigenous nation, such as a place mentioned in an origin story or where ancestors are buried.
From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
