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
-
consequence or importance
-
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
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.
"MMA recognizes the ocean floor surrounding American Samoa carries cultural, economic, and environmental significance, requiring that the pursuit of national security and energy readiness is balanced with rigorous environmental stewardship," he added.
From Barron's ● Oct. 19, 2026
For Elif, the concert has a wider significance.
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
The researchers wanted to examine these processes separately to determine how cortisol affects the brain's ability to recognize emotional significance and preserve an experience as a lasting memory.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
“I’ve been married for coming up to two years now,” Boyega told the outlet after being asked about the significance of the ring he was wearing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
Journalist Louis Lomax was one of the first to understand the dimensions of this shift and to describe its significance.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
