Cool MateGreatly vs Significantly
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Greatly
Top 2,000 (common)B2adverb
Significantly
Top 2,000 (common)B2adverb
| Greatly | Significantly | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈɡreɪtli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈɡreɪtli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/sɪɡˈnɪfɪkəntli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/sɪɡˈnɪfɪkəntli/"]/ |
| Meaning | a lot or very much | More than a little or in an important way. |
| Example | People's reaction to the film has varied greatly. | 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 | greatly improve, greatly appreciate, greatly enhance, greatly affect | significantly increase, significantly improve, significantly different, significantly affect |
| Antonyms | slightly, partially, minimally | insignificantly, slightly |
| Common mistakes | Using 'greatly' incorrectly with nouns instead of verbs or adjectives., Confusing 'greatly' with 'great' as an adjective., Overusing 'greatly' in informal settings. | 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 'greatly' to emphasize the extent of a feeling, action, or quality, especially in formal contexts. Avoid in casual conversations where simpler words like 'really' might fit better. | Use 'significantly' in formal writing or speech to show importance. Avoid in casual conversation unless emphasizing a major point. |
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Frequently asked questions: Greatly vs Significantly
What's the difference between Greatly and Significantly?
Greatly: a lot or very much Significantly: More than a little or in an important way.
Are Greatly and Significantly the same CEFR level?
Greatly: B2, Significantly: B2 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Greatly and Significantly?
Greatly: adverb, Significantly: adverb.
Can you show an example of each?
Greatly: People's reaction to the film has varied greatly. Significantly: The results of the study indicated that significantly more people preferred the new product over the old one.
Can I use Greatly and Significantly interchangeably?
Not always. Greatly 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.