# significant

/səɡˈnɪfɪkənt/ (US) · /sɪɡnˈɪfɪkənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/significant
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. important or major

adjective · CEFR B2

important or having a big effect on something.

For teachers: having a major or noticeable effect; sufficiently great or important to be worthy of attention.

- The new law made a significant difference to the lives of many people.
- The discovery of the new vaccine represented a significant breakthrough in the global fight against the pandemic.

### 2. large in amount

adjective · CEFR B2

large enough to be noticed or to matter.

For teachers: reasonably large in number, amount, or size.

- A significant number of students decided to study from home this year.
- The company invested a significant amount of capital into research and development over the last fiscal year.

### 3. suggesting a hidden meaning

adjective · CEFR C1 · Literary

having a special or secret meaning that is not said out loud.

For teachers: conveying a meaning that is not explicitly stated; suggestive of a deeper or hidden intent.

- He gave her a significant look across the room, but he didn't say a word.
- The silence that followed her question was significant, suggesting that the board members were not as united as they claimed.

### 4. not by chance

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic · Technical

in science and math, describing a result that is unlikely to happen by accident.

For teachers: having a low probability of occurring by chance; used to describe data that shows a true relationship or effect.

- The researchers found a significant link between diet and heart health.
- The correlation between the two variables was found to be statistically significant at the 0.05 level, rejecting the null hypothesis.

Usage: Often used in the phrase 'statistically significant'.

## Examples

- The new law led to a significant change in the economy.
- Researchers noted a significant improvement in patient health after the new medicine was introduced into the trial.
- The data shows a statistically significant correlation between early literacy programs and long-term academic success, though the specific mechanisms of this influence remain a subject of active debate.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.