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importance

significance / value

/ɪmˈpɔːtəns/

[U] Uncountable

This term conveys a sense of weight or gravity, suggesting that a person or object possesses a quality that demands attention or affects the outcome of a situation. It is frequently used in professional or formal settings to justify the allocation of resources or the prioritization of a task over others. While it often describes value, it can also carry a social connotation of prestige or rank. In this sense, it describes a person's standing within a hierarchy, where their presence or opinion carries more weight than that of others due to their official position or influence.

💬Casual Conversation

🎬Tuesday afternoon; Sarah is on her third coffee while David is in a 'synergy' meeting.
David Smith

Can you touch base on the logo? I can't stress the importance of this enough.

David Smith
Sarah
Sarah

I'm swamped. Unless it's a fire, it can wait till tomorrow.

💡
David uses the corporate phrase 'touch base' to ask for an update and emphasizes the significance of the task using 'importance'. Sarah responds with 'swamped' (meaning overwhelmed with work) and 'unless it's a fire' (an idiom meaning unless it is an urgent emergency), reflecting her exhaustion and reluctance to take on more tasks.

Meanings

Nounsignificance

The quality of being significant, valuable, or influential.

"The director emphasized the importance of teamwork in achieving the project goals."

Nounvalue

The state of having high status or power; prominence.

"He is a man of great importance within the diplomatic community."

Collocations & Compounds

relative importance

Noun collocation: the value of something compared to another

The relative importance of the two factors was debated by the committee.

paramount importance

Noun collocation: the highest possible level of significance

Safety is of paramount importance when operating heavy machinery.

cultural importance

Noun collocation: the value of something within a specific society

The ancient temple holds great cultural importance for the local community.

attach importance to

Verb collocation: to consider something as significant

Many investors attach great importance to sustainable business practices.

stress the importance

Verb collocation: to emphasize that something is valuable

The teacher continued to stress the importance of daily practice.

Etymology

Derived from the Old French word importance, which stems from the Latin importare, meaning to carry or bring in. The term evolved from the literal sense of carrying weight or value to the abstract sense of having significance or consequence in a given context.

Related Words

Last Updated: June 8, 2026Report an Error