significance

noun

sig·​nif·​i·​cance sig-ˈni-fi-kən(t)s 

1

a

: something that is conveyed as a meaning often obscurely or indirectly

b

: the quality of conveying or implying

2

a

: the quality of being important : moment

b

: the quality of being statistically significant

Synonyms of significance

• meaning
• sense
• content
• intent
• intention

Choose the Right Synonym for significance

importance, consequence, moment, weight, significance mean a quality or aspect having great worth or significance.

importance implies a value judgment of the superior worth or influence of something or someone.

a region with no cities of importance

consequence generally implies importance because of probable or possible effects.

the style you choose is of little consequence

moment implies conspicuous or self-evident consequence.

a decision of great moment

weight implies a judgment of the immediate relative importance of something.

the argument carried no weight with the judge

significance implies a quality or character that should mark a thing as important but that is not self-evident and may or may not be recognized.

the treaty's significance

Examples of significance in a Sentence

The discovery has great significance to researchers.

His age is of little significance.

This building should be preserved because of its historical significance.

Does the ceremony have any religious significance?

Her work has a significance that will last beyond her lifetime.

I failed to understand the significance of her remarks.

Does the date March 16 have some special significance to you?

People in ancient times assigned a particular significance to the number seven.

Recent Examples on the Web

That projection is based on the player’s performance in each metric over the last three seasons (five for goalies), weighted for recency where more recent seasons carry more significance and regressed to the mean. —Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026

The timing of the event also adds another layer of significance. —Eva Andersen, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026

Dressing modestly is out of respect for the significance of these sites. —Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026

This remarkable find was unearthed at the earliest military camp discovered in the area, which holds national significance due to its Roman remains. —Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for significance

• insignificance

Kids Definition

significance

noun

sig·​nif·​i·​cance sig-ˈnif-i-kən(t)s 

1

: meaning entry 1 sense 1

2

: the quality of being of notable worth or influence