insignificant

adjective

in·​sig·​nif·​i·​cant ˌin(t)-sig-ˈni-fi-kənt How to pronounce insignificant (audio)
: not significant: such as
a
: lacking meaning or import
b
: small in size, quantity, or number
c
: not worth considering : unimportant
d
: lacking weight, position, or influence : contemptible
insignificantly adverb

Examples of insignificant in a Sentence

They lost an insignificant amount of money. Looking up at the stars always makes me feel so small and insignificant. These problems are not insignificant.
Recent Examples on the Web Self-evidently, while the first phase had the advantage of both geography as well as not insignificant amounts of public investment, the second phase focuses on providing the legal and institutional stability of other hubs such as Switzerland. Radu Magdin, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 And with a price tag of $26,000 a year for the drug, 20% is not insignificant. Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 22 Feb. 2024 Since that initial report, that signal decreased, becoming statistically insignificant. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 12 Jan. 2024 But for crew members traveling to Mars, watching as the Earth shrinks to an insignificant dot in the heavens could result in a profound sense of isolation and homesickness. Nick Kanas, The Conversation, 21 Feb. 2024 But Warren and Jayapal have been arguing for months that major drug companies are exploiting that structure by updating listings with insignificant changes to extend the time it's protected from copycats. USA TODAY, 16 Feb. 2024 And yet, STRs are clearly not insignificant: They have been linked to ailments such as Huntington’s disease, spinobulbar muscular atrophy, Crohn’s disease and some cancers. Philip Ball, Quanta Magazine, 14 Feb. 2024 If a person thinks that the thing that happened in their life is insignificant, then nothing will change from there. Billboard Japan, Billboard, 13 Feb. 2024 The amount of cargo moved by rail is insignificant compared to San Diego’s overall production, Quirk said. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'insignificant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of insignificant was in 1651

Dictionary Entries Near insignificant

Cite this Entry

“Insignificant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insignificant. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

insignificant

adjective
in·​sig·​nif·​i·​cant ˌin(t)-sig-ˈnif-i-kənt How to pronounce insignificant (audio)
: not significant : unimportant
insignificantly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on insignificant

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