Definition of importancenext

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 An in-season tournament almost by definition impacts the importance of the 162-game schedule, and all that comes with it. Andy McCullough, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026 Advertisement Nor would such an approach offer a blueprint for the Middle East, a region of enduring strategic importance. Comfort Ero, Time, 9 Jan. 2026 Top Assembly Democrats said caution should lead the day, and stressed the importance of maintaining funding reserves. Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 9 Jan. 2026 Though Turkey is a major supplier for the EU, the country is facing rising costs and competition from Egypt and North Africa, which are gaining importance through new investments in garment manufacturing. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 9 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for importance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for importance
Noun
  • Some researchers have cast doubt on the significance of the study due to its small size.
    Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Rosado is expected to address the significance of the developments for South Florida and the broader region.
    Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The British import sitcom by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant — a hit on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean — is now a musical mockumentary with all your favorite characters.
    Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 9 Jan. 2026
  • And because the country doesn’t allow olive oil imports, everything produced there—including oils from other independent brands like KAÏA and Olivko—is single-origin by definition, too.
    Annie Daly, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Ensuring officials have the mental and technological support for making big decisions in big matches with big consequences?
    Megan Feringa, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
  • People with a nonfunctioning ANGPTL3 gene — which Natarajan says applies to about 1 in 250 people in the US — have lifelong levels of low LDL cholesterol and triglycerides without any apparent negative consequences.
    Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • But none of them came anywhere near the genocide of 2023–25 in terms of magnitude, severity and sheer brutality.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Excluding disasters, sudden surges of this magnitude in requests for food or any other need are rare at 211s, and can signal both public worry and need, as happened in the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Matthew W. Kreuter, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Importance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/importance. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on importance

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