Cool MateConsiderably vs Significantly
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Considerably
Top 1,000 (very common)B2adverb
Significantly
Top 2,000 (common)B2adverb
Most common: Considerably
| Considerably | Significantly | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/kənˈsɪdərəbli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/kənˈsɪdərəbli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/sɪɡˈnɪfɪkəntli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/sɪɡˈnɪfɪkəntli/"]/ |
| Meaning | A lot; to a great extent. | More than a little or in an important way. |
| Example | The need for sleep varies considerably from person to person. | The results of the study indicated that significantly more people preferred the new product over the old one. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | B2 |
| Part of speech | adverb | adverb |
| Collocations | considerably higher, considerably lower, considerably improved, considerably more, considerably better | significantly increase, significantly improve, significantly different, significantly affect |
| Antonyms | slightly, marginally, insignificantly, minimally | insignificantly, slightly |
| Common mistakes | Confusing with 'consider' which means to think about something., Using 'considerably' without an adjective/adverb to modify., Misplacing 'considerably' in a sentence, affecting the meaning. | Using 'significantly' when 'slightly' is more appropriate in context., Confusing 'significantly' with 'significative' which is not commonly used., Placing it incorrectly in a sentence, for example, at the end instead of before the word it modifies. |
| Usage notes | Use 'considerably' in more formal contexts, such as reports or academic writing. It may not be suitable for very casual conversations. | Use 'significantly' in formal writing or speech to show importance. Avoid in casual conversation unless emphasizing a major point. |
Frequently asked questions: Considerably vs Significantly
What's the difference between Considerably and Significantly?
Considerably: A lot; to a great extent. Significantly: More than a little or in an important way.
Which is more common: Considerably and Significantly?
Considerably is the most common in everyday English.
Are Considerably and Significantly the same CEFR level?
Considerably: B2, Significantly: B2 on the CEFR scale.
Can I use Considerably and Significantly interchangeably?
Not always. Considerably and Significantly are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.