significant other
Americannoun
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Sociology. a person, as a parent or peer, who has great influence on one's behavior and self-esteem.
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a spouse or cohabiting lover. SO, S.O.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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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.
The apartment complex was where he or a significant other had once lived, according to those sources.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 5, 2026
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 ● Feb. 14, 2026
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 ● Dec. 19, 2025
The FBI thought the lead was promising enough to launch an undercover investigation, people familiar with it said, with a covert agent befriending the woman’s significant other to elicit new clues.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 14, 2025
For instance, students were told they’ve received a text from their significant other.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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.
