important
Americanadjective
-
of much or great significance or consequence.
an important event in world history.
-
mattering much (usually followed byto ).
details important to a fair decision.
-
entitled to more than ordinary consideration or notice.
an important exception.
-
prominent or large.
He played an important part in national politics.
-
of considerable influence or authority, as a person or position.
an important scientist.
-
having social position or distinction, as a person or family.
important guests.
-
pompous; pretentious.
When speaking, he assumes an important attitude that offends his audience.
-
Obsolete. importunate.
adjective
-
of great significance or value; outstanding
Voltaire is an important writer
-
of social significance; notable; eminent; esteemed
an important man in the town
-
specially relevant or of great concern (to); valued highly (by)
your wishes are important to me
-
an obsolete word for importunate
Usage
Both more important and more importantly occur at the beginning of a sentence in all varieties of standard English: More important (or More importantly), her record as an administrator is unmatched. Today, more importantly is the more common, even though some object to its use on the grounds that more important is an elliptical form of “What is more important” and that the adverb importantly could not occur in such a construction. More importantly probably developed by analogy with other sentence-modifying adverbs, as curiously, fortunately, and regrettably.
The use of more importantly as in more importantly, the local council is opposed to this proposal has become very common, but many people still prefer to use more important
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of important
First recorded in 1580–90; from Medieval Latin important-, stem of importāns, present participle of importāre “to be of consequence, weigh,” from Latin: “to carry in, import,” equivalent to im- im- 1 ( def. ) + port- port 5 ( def. ) + -ans -ant ( def. ); see import ( def. )
Explanation
If you have to pass a test to graduate, the test is important. It is vital, necessary, crucial. The President is the most important person in the country. Children are important to parents, and parents are certainly important to their children. Different people think different things are important: a new movie might be important to you because you care about it a lot, even if it's not important in the same way as food and water. People often say "Good study habits are important" or "Communication is important." Important things matter.
Vocabulary lists containing important
port
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Florida's B.E.S.T. Roots: port
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Language of the Test, List 5
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
"Once an important green space is lost, it can be lost for good."
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
As he prepares to retire, Bishop McKeown has been reflecting on being part of being part of important moments in history and as well as being stopped on the street for confessions.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
The species is native to parts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico and is particularly important as a structural pest in California.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026
"The conversation among experts has been much more nuanced, but essentially everyone agrees there are a wide variety of risks that are all important to consider and mitigate," Jain said.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
“Curiosity is the single most important thing for an Usher. Above all else, you must be curious about the wandering souls who come to your door.”
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
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.
