importance
Americannoun
-
importances
plural
-
the quality or state of being important; consequence; significance.
-
important position or standing; personal or social consequence.
-
consequential air or manner.
an air of bustling importance.
-
Obsolete. an important matter.
-
Obsolete. importunity.
-
Obsolete. import or meaning.
noun
-
the state of being important; significance
-
social status; standing; esteem
a man of importance
-
obsolete
-
meaning or signification
-
an important matter
-
importunity
-
Synonym Usage
Importance, consequence, significance, moment all signify something valuable, influential, or worthy of note. Importance is the most general of these, assigning exceptional or notable value or influence to a person or thing: the importance of Einstein's discoveries. Consequence may suggest outstanding personal quality or position, or it may suggest importance because of results to be produced: a woman of consequence in world affairs; an event of great consequence for our future. Significance can be used interchangeably with importance or consequence, but it carries also the implication of importance that is not readily or immediately recognized: The significance of the discovery only became clear years later. Moment, on the other hand, almost always refers to immediately apparent, self-evident importance: a change of great moment for the nation's political system.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of importance
First recorded in 1495–1505; Medieval Latin importantia; see important ( def. ), -ance ( def. )
Explanation
Importance is the state of being greatly significant. If you're invited to your cousin's wedding and your friend's circus-themed birthday party on the same day, you'll have to decide which event has more importance to you. Something or someone that is particularly notable can also be referred to with the noun importance. The historic and symbolic importance of the "Declaration of Independence" means that most kids learn about it in history class. In your history class, you'll also learn about the people who had positions of importance in drafting the "Declaration," like John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
Vocabulary lists containing importance
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.
See Examples For:
The MND Association welcomed the findings and highlighted their potential importance for future treatments.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026
Army instructors say training in traditional skills has broader importance.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
Wong's advice to people starting a business is about the importance of knowing your brand and saying no to opportunities that don't fit.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
Goods from northern ports are being rerouted to Switzerland by road or rail, while Genoa is gaining importance as a route into Switzerland, he says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
“I have at my disposal very important materials on many subjects of exceptionally great interest and importance to your government.”
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
It has been wisely said that intelligence may be defined as the ability to correctly determine differences, similarities, and importances.
From How and When to Be Your Own Doctor by Steve Solomon
All perception of relative importances depends upon a just appreciation of which letters in association’s bond association will most readily dispense with.
From The Note-Books of Samuel Butler by Samuel Butler
The chromatic differences of other errors of reproduction have seldom practical importances.
From The Project Gutenberg Encyclopedia Volume 1 of 28 by Project Gutenberg
I want my readers to be intelligent about understanding the relative importances of different hygienic treatment and useful supporting practices.
From How and When to Be Your Own Doctor by Steve Solomon
One of the actual penalties of this is that so few of such ancient importances remain definable or presentable.
From Notes of a Son and Brother by Henry James
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.
