statistical significance

Cultural  

1. In statistics, a number that expresses the probability that the result of a given experiment or study could have occurred purely by chance. This number can be a margin of error (“The results of this public opinion poll are accurate to five percent”), or it can indicate a confidence level (“If this experiment were repeated, there is a probability of ninety-five percent that our conclusions would be substantiated”).

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Example Sentences

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statistical significance

The findings have been rated 2.6 sigma, which is the system that marks the statistical significance of discoveries.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

Last week, Bancel learned the melanoma trial had accrued enough data to reach statistical significance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026

The time-restricted group also tended to make fewer mistakes on tests involving memory and learning, although that difference did not reach statistical significance.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 27, 2026

Although a high-dose combination of fianlimab and Libtayo showed improvement over Keytruda, the result didn’t reach statistical significance, Meacham noted.

From Barron's ● May 18, 2026

The early scientists did not even know how to perform a test for statistical significance.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton