Historic vs Important vs Notable vs Significant

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Historic

Top 2,000 (common) B1 adjective

Important

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 adjective

Notable

Top 2,000 (common) C1 adjective

Significant

Top 1,000 (very common) B2 adjective

	Historic	Important	Notable	Significant
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/hɪˈstɒrɪk/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/hɪˈstɔːrɪk/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ɪmˈpɔːtnt/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ɪmˈpɔːrtnt/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˈnəʊtəbl/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈnəʊtəbl/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/sɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/sɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt/"]/
Meaning	Something important in history.	Something that matters a lot.	Something important or worth remembering.	Important or meaning a lot.
Example	The signing of the Declaration of Independence was a historic moment in American history.	It's important to drink enough water every day.	a **notable success/achievement/example**	The research showed a significant improvement in patient outcomes.
Register	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	B1	A1	C1	B2
Part of speech	adjective	adjective	adjective	adjective
Collocations	historic event, historic moment, historic site, historic agreement	be, seem, sound, extremely, fairly, very, for, to, be, seem, sound, extremely, fairly, very, for, to	be, especially, particularly, for	be, prove, become, extremely, fairly, very, for, to
Antonyms	unremarkable, ordinary	unimportant, trivial, insignificant	insignificant, trivial, unremarkable	insignificant, trivial, minor
Common mistakes	'Historic' is sometimes confused with 'historical'., Using 'historic' for personal experiences, which should be 'historical'.	Confusing with 'unimportant'—'not important' is the opposite., Using with nouns incorrectly—'important' only describes nouns, not verbs., Overusing—try varying language with synonyms to improve vocabulary.	Confusing 'notable' with 'noteworthy' - they are similar but have different nuances., Using 'notable' as a verb instead of an adjective., Misplacing the adjective in a sentence, leading to awkward phrasing.	Confusing 'significant' with 'significance'., Using 'significant' as a noun instead of an adjective., Overusing 'significant' in casual speaking.
Usage notes	Use 'historic' for events or places that have significant importance. Avoid using it for minor events. 'Historical,' on the other hand, is used more broadly for anything related to the past.	Use 'important' for things that have significance or impact. It's appropriate in formal and informal contexts, but in very casual conversation, words like 'big deal' might be more appropriate.	Use 'notable' to emphasize importance or distinction, particularly in academic or formal contexts. It may not fit casual conversations where simpler words like 'important' may be more suitable.	Used in academic and formal contexts to indicate importance. Avoid in very casual conversations; instead, use simpler words like 'big' or 'important'.

See it in real clips

House Of Cards › S1 E1

This is more important.

Better Call Saul › S1 E1

I stop to see what the trouble is, and this is the important part...

Chernobyl › S1 E1

Whatever the cause, it's important neither you nor...

House Of Cards › S1 E1

This is more important.

Better Call Saul › S1 E1

I stop to see what the trouble is, and this is the important part...

Important

But of all these anomalies, the most significant is this:

But what is significant is, I felt the touch of God.

But of all these anomalies, the most significant is this:

But what is significant is, I felt the touch of God.

Significant

Frequently asked questions: Historic vs Important vs Notable vs Significant

What's the difference between Historic, Important, Notable, and Significant?

Historic: Something important in history. Important: Something that matters a lot. Notable: Something important or worth remembering. Significant: Important or meaning a lot.

Which is more advanced: Historic, Important, Notable, and Significant?

Notable is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.

Are Historic, Important, Notable, and Significant the same CEFR level?

Historic: B1, Important: A1, Notable: C1, Significant: B2 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Historic, Important, Notable, and Significant?

Historic: adjective, Important: adjective, Notable: adjective, Significant: adjective.

Can you show an example of each?

Historic: The signing of the Declaration of Independence was a historic moment in American history. Important: It's important to drink enough water every day. Notable: a **notable success/achievement/example** Significant: The research showed a significant improvement in patient outcomes.

Can I use Historic, Important, Notable, and Significant interchangeably?

Not always. Historic, Important, Notable, and Significant 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.