Cool MateRemarkably vs Significantly
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Remarkably
Top 2,000 (common)B2adverb
Significantly
Top 2,000 (common)B2adverb
| Remarkably | Significantly | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/rɪˈmɑːkəbli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/rɪˈmɑːrkəbli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/sɪɡˈnɪfɪkəntli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/sɪɡˈnɪfɪkəntli/"]/ |
| Meaning | very surprisingly or in an unusual way | More than a little or in an important way. |
| Example | The car is in remarkably good condition for its age. | The results of the study indicated that significantly more people preferred the new product over the old one. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | B2 |
| Part of speech | adverb | adverb |
| Collocations | remarkably similar, remarkably skilled, remarkably easy, remarkably clear, remarkably high | significantly increase, significantly improve, significantly different, significantly affect |
| Antonyms | unremarkably, ordinarily, commonly | insignificantly, slightly |
| Common mistakes | Used too frequently in everyday conversation – better for writing or formal speech., Confused with 'remarkable' – remember, 'remarkably' is an adverb. | 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 'remarkably' to emphasize how surprising or unusual something is. It is appropriate in both written and spoken contexts, but may sound overly formal in casual conversations. | Use 'significantly' in formal writing or speech to show importance. Avoid in casual conversation unless emphasizing a major point. |
Frequently asked questions: Remarkably vs Significantly
What's the difference between Remarkably and Significantly?
Remarkably: very surprisingly or in an unusual way Significantly: More than a little or in an important way.
Are Remarkably and Significantly the same CEFR level?
Remarkably: B2, Significantly: B2 on the CEFR scale.
Can I use Remarkably and Significantly interchangeably?
Not always. Remarkably 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.