Significant vs This is important

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

Significant

Top 1,000 (very common) B2 adjective

This is important

Top 1,000 (very common)

	Significant	This is important
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/sɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/sɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt/"]/	🇬🇧 //ðɪs ɪz ɪmˈpɔːtənt// 🇺🇸 //ðɪs ɪz ɪmˈpɔrtənt//
Meaning	Important or meaning a lot.	This is necessary or has a lot of value.
Example	The research showed a significant improvement in patient outcomes.	This is important because it affects our future.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	B2	-
Part of speech	adjective
Collocations	be, prove, become, extremely, fairly, very, for, to	important decision, important issue, important information, important role, important factor
Antonyms	insignificant, trivial, minor	-
Common mistakes	Confusing 'significant' with 'significance'., Using 'significant' as a noun instead of an adjective., Overusing 'significant' in casual speaking.	Using 'importantly' instead of 'important', Confusing with 'significant', Overusing in casual conversation
Usage notes	Used in academic and formal contexts to indicate importance. Avoid in very casual conversations; instead, use simpler words like 'big' or 'important'.	Used to emphasize the significance of a topic. Appropriate in most contexts but avoid excessive use to maintain impact.

See it in real clips

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

Succession › S1 E1

I'm just gonna... This is important.

This is important

Frequently asked questions: Significant vs This is important

What's the difference between Significant and This is important?

Significant: Important or meaning a lot. This is important: This is necessary or has a lot of value.

Can you show an example of each?

Significant: The research showed a significant improvement in patient outcomes. This is important: This is important because it affects our future.

Can I use Significant and This is important interchangeably?

Not always. Significant and This is important 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.