Word
unimportant
Phoneticsunim·por·tant
US/ənɪmˈpɔɹtənt/
UK/ˌʌnɪmpˈɔːtənt/
Definition
adj. not having a lot of value or meaning. You use this to describe things that do not matter much.
adj. lacking significance, value, or influence. Often used to describe details or tasks that do not affect the final outcome of a situation.
Examples
“The color of the box is unimportant.”
“She decided to skip the meeting because the topics being discussed were unimportant to her current project.”
“While the technical specifications are vital, the aesthetic design of the internal components remains largely unimportant to the average consumer who never opens the device.”
Examples
simple
“The color of the box is unimportant.”
contextual
“She decided to skip the meeting because the topics being discussed were unimportant to her current project.”
complex
“While the technical specifications are vital, the aesthetic design of the internal components remains largely unimportant to the average consumer who never opens the device.”
Usage
Typically used both attributively before a noun and predicatively after linking verbs like 'be', 'seem', or 'feel'.
Pitfall
an imimportant detail
an unimportant detail
Learners sometimes use the prefix 'im-' (as in 'impossible') instead of the correct negative prefix 'un-'.
Etymology
From un- + important.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/unimportant