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.
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prominent or large.
He played an important part in national politics.
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of considerable influence or authority, as a person or position.
an important scientist.
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having social position or distinction, as a person or family.
important guests.
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pompous; pretentious.
When speaking, he assumes an important attitude that offends his audience.
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Obsolete. importunate.
adjective
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of great significance or value; outstanding
Voltaire is an important writer
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of social significance; notable; eminent; esteemed
an important man in the town
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specially relevant or of great concern (to); valued highly (by)
your wishes are important to me
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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
- half-important adjective
- half-importantly adverb
- importantly adverb
- preimportant adjective
- preimportantly adverb
- quasi-important adjective
- quasi-importantly adverb
- superimportant adjective
- superimportantly adverb
- unimportant adjective
- unimportantly adverb
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. ); import ( def. )
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.
West Highland Chamber said it recognised that the Jacobite steam train had played an important part in the local hospitality and retail sectors for many years.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026
“Pakistan has been an important partner countering ISIS-K since the start of this administration,” said White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
I spoke to Deptford’s lord mayor, Sir Barnubus Bliss, about what’s most important to him about folks experiencing the fair closest to L.A.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
The third, and most important, requires the court to decide whether the explanation is credible or instead pretextual.
From Slate • Apr. 10, 2026
What was the message that was so important I’d just risked my life for it?
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
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.
