Library / English Dictionary |
IMPORTANT
Pronunciation (US): | (GB): |
I. (adjective)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Of extreme importance; vital to the resolution of a crisis
Example:
a crucial issue for women
Synonyms:
crucial; important
Classified under:
Similar:
critical; decisive (forming or having the nature of a turning point or crisis)
life-and-death; life-or-death (vitally important)
pivotal; polar (being of crucial importance)
Also:
critical (being in or verging on a state of crisis or emergency)
decisive (determining or having the power to determine an outcome)
essential (basic and fundamental)
Derivation:
importance (the quality of being important and worthy of note)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Of great significance or value
Example:
the important questions of the day
Synonyms:
important; of import
Classified under:
Similar:
strategic (highly important to or an integral part of a strategy or plan of action especially in war)
serious (of great consequence)
most-valuable (designating the player judged to be the most important to the sport)
measurable (of distinguished importance)
in-chief (indicating the head of a staff)
historic (important in history)
great; outstanding (of major significance or importance)
grave; grievous; heavy; weighty (of great gravity or crucial import; requiring serious thought)
grand (the most important and magnificent in adornment)
distinguished ((used of persons) standing above others in character or attainment or reputation)
Copernican (of radical or major importance)
consequential; eventful (having important issues or results)
chief; main; master; primary; principal (most important element)
cardinal; central; fundamental; key; primal (serving as an essential component)
burning (of immediate import)
big (significant)
beta (second in order of importance)
alpha (first in order of importance)
all-important; all important; crucial; essential; of the essence (of the greatest importance)
Also:
essential (basic and fundamental)
important; significant (important in effect or meaning)
valuable (having great material or monetary value especially for use or exchange)
Attribute:
importance (the quality of being important and worthy of note)
Antonym:
unimportant (not important)
Derivation:
importance (the quality of being important and worthy of note)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Having or suggesting a consciousness of high position
Example:
took long important strides in the direction of his office
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
immodest (having or showing an exaggerated opinion of your importance, ability, etc)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Having authority or ascendancy or influence
Example:
the captain's authoritative manner
Synonyms:
authoritative; important
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
influential (having or exercising influence or power)
Derivation:
importance (a prominent status)
Sense 5
Meaning:
Important in effect or meaning
Example:
statistically significant
Synonyms:
important; significant
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
momentous (of very great significance)
epoch-making; epochal (highly significant or important especially bringing about or marking the beginning of a new development or era)
earthshaking; world-shaking; world-shattering (sufficiently significant to affect the whole world)
evidential; evidentiary (serving as or based on evidence)
fundamental; profound (far-reaching and thoroughgoing in effect especially on the nature of something)
large (fairly large or important in effect; influential)
monumental (of outstanding significance)
notable; noteworthy; remarkable (worthy of attention because interesting, significant, or unusual)
probative; probatory (tending to prove a particular proposition or to persuade you of the truth of an allegation)
operative (effective; producing a desired effect)
portentous; prodigious (of momentous or ominous significance)
Also:
important; of import (of great significance or value)
meaningful (having a meaning or purpose)
Attribute:
significance (the quality of being significant)
Derivation:
importance (the quality of being important and worthy of note)
Context examples:
UniSA's Dr Tobias Loetscher says the study provides new links between previously under-investigated eye movements and personality traits and delivers important insights for emerging fields of social signal processing and social robotics.
(Eyes Can Indicate Personality Type, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)
Some people call it the stomach, but your abdomen contains many other important organs.
(Abdominal Pain, NIH)
Acetazolamide is a potent inhibitor of carbonic anhydrase that plays an important role in the control of fluid secretion.
(Acetazolamide Sodium, NCI Thesaurus)
A written summary of the important points of a scientific article.
(Abstract, NCI Thesaurus)
The team’s findings suggested that the coordinated ripples between the MTL and the neocortex may be an important part of that process.
(Our brains may ripple before remembering, National Institutes of Health)
Limiting foods rich in dietary cholesterol, such as eggs, may be important to consider when choosing a healthy eating pattern.
(Eggs No Longer Part of a Healthy Diet?, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)
Only a very important issue could call me from London at present.
(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
Then, of course, she might give us very important information, but I was not sanguine that she would.
(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
“This is indeed important,” said he.
(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
That is my idea of good breeding; and those persons who fancy themselves very important, and never open their mouths, quite mistake the matter.
(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)