IMPORTANT Definition & Meaning

View synonyms for

important

[im-pawr-tnt]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

of much or great significance or consequence.
an important event in world history.
mattering much (usually followed byto ).
details important to a fair decision.
entitled to more than ordinary consideration or notice.
an important exception.
prominent or large.
He played an important part in national politics.
of considerable influence or authority, as a person or position.
an important scientist.
having social position or distinction, as a person or family.
important guests.
pompous; pretentious.
When speaking, he assumes an important attitude that offends his audience.
Obsolete.��importunate.

important

/ ɪ��ˈ��ɔː��ə�Գ� /

adjective

of great significance or value; outstanding
Voltaire is an important writer
of social significance; notable; eminent; esteemed
an important man in the town
specially relevant or of great concern (to); valued highly (by)
your wishes are important to me
an obsolete word for importunate

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Usage

Both more important and more importantly occur at the beginning of a sentence in all varieties of standard English: More important (or More importantly), her record as an administrator is unmatched. Today, more importantly is the more common, even though some object to its use on the grounds that more important is an elliptical form of “What is more important” and that the adverb importantly could not occur in such a construction. More importantly probably developed by analogy with other sentence-modifying adverbs, as curiously, fortunately, and regrettably.

The use of more importantly as in more importantly, the local council is opposed to this proposal has become very common, but many people still prefer to use more important

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Other 51�Թ� Forms

importantly adverb
half-important adjective
half-importantly adverb
preimportant adjective
preimportantly adverb
quasi-important adjective
quasi-importantly adverb
superimportant adjective
superimportantly adverb
unimportant adjective
unimportantly adverb
��ˈ��ǰ��ٲ��Գٱ�� adverb

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of important¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Medieval Latin important-, stem of ��ǰ��Բ�, present participle of ��ǰ�� “to be of consequence, weigh,” from Latin: “to carry in, import,” equivalent to im- im- ¹ ( def. ) + port- port ⁵ ( def. ) + -ans -ant ( def. ); import ( def. )

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of important¹

C16: from Old Italian importante, from Medieval Latin ��ǰ�� to signify, be of consequence, from Latin: to carry in; see _import

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

"It is important that the fate of pesticides and other chemicals in the environment is understood, in order to protect drinking water sources."

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She replied: "We've never dismissed the concerns of victims. These are the most important people in those discussions."

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Shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride said the implications of the latest conflict for "oil prices, equity prices... trading and inflation and therefore interest rates and the general state of the world economy" were very important.

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Though viewership is down and can drag on a company’s stock price, traditional broadcast TV still makes money, making it important to manage costs and generate profit for as long as possible.

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“I think it’s truly important that we talk to kids about potential separation,” she said.

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Related 51�Թ�s

eminent��
esteemed��
great��
influential��
of note��
outstanding��
powerful��
prominent��

importance importation

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