Synonym Chooser

How does the noun importance differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of importance are consequence, moment, significance, and weight. While all these words 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

When can consequence be used instead of importance?

The words consequence and importance can be used in similar contexts, but consequence generally implies importance because of probable or possible effects.

the style you choose is of little consequence

In what contexts can moment take the place of importance?

The words moment and importance are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, moment implies conspicuous or self-evident consequence.

a decision of great moment

When would significance be a good substitute for importance?

While the synonyms significance and importance are close in meaning, 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

When is weight a more appropriate choice than importance?

The synonyms weight and importance are sometimes interchangeable, but weight implies a judgment of the immediate relative importance of something.

the argument carried no weight with the judge

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of importance As the Universe continues to expand, dark energy’s relative contributions to the energy density will rise, while the remaining components will continue to decrease in relative importance. Big Think, 24 Oct. 2025 Friedberger highlighted the importance of alignment of interest between manager and investor. Hugh Leask, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025 The issues of affordability and the cost of necessities are gaining in political importance. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2025 For October’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands executive director DarKenya Waller wrote about the importance of legal assistance for victims looking to escape their abusers. Andrea Williams, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for importance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for importance
Noun
  • Whereas other manufacturers of the same size and in the same categories have focused more on production and less on marketing and media, Sharkey said White Oak was keenly aware of its significance.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 21 Oct. 2025
  • And its significance cannot be fixed.
    Karl Ove Knausgaard, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Trump is facing criticism from many US cattle ranchers after signaling support for increasing low-tariff beef imports from Argentina to ease record beef prices in the United States.
    Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Tariffs impacting Chinese imports specifically could affect Tennessee manufacturing, the report said, because businesses rely on those materials and because goods from China are subject to some of the steepest duties.
    Molly Davis, Nashville Tennessean, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Recent research suggests that young men in low-income communities are particularly affected by financial consequences tied to sports gambling.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Then there’s the commercial consequences.
    Andy Mitten, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Should the Argentine currency in Monday’s trading session climb at a similar magnitude to that seen in cryptocurrency markets in the wake of the election, the US could be on course for hundreds of millions of dollars in gains.
    Daniel Flatley, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
  • The magnitude of the attack and the extent of its damage was not immediately known.
    Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Importance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/importance. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on importance

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