significant other

American  

noun

1. Sociology. a person, as a parent or peer, who has great influence on one's behavior and self-esteem.

2. a spouse or cohabiting lover. SO, S.O.

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significant other British  

noun

1. informal a spouse or lover

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Compare meaning

How does significant-other compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• significant other vs. girlfriend

Example Sentences

Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell was listed as a “significant other” on his membership paperwork.

From The Wall Street Journal

Participants also answered questions about how satisfied they felt with their spouse or significant other, how much conflict they experienced in communication, and how confident they were that their relationship would last.

From Science Daily

“There’s no sense of urgency to make sure their spouse or significant other is well taken care of.”

From MarketWatch

Here are the facts: Spousal benefits, which you can only claim while your significant other is alive — and after they have started benefits — do not include delayed credits.

From MarketWatch

Spouses typically have to wait until their significant other collects retirement benefits in order to claim spousal benefits, but that is not the case for ex-spouses.

From MarketWatch