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Definition of significant in English:

significant

adjective

1Sufficiently great or important to be worthy of attention; noteworthy.
‘a significant increase in sales’
- ‘There is no doubt that this was a serious injury with significant orthopaedic and cosmetic consequences.’
- ‘Bernoulli was one of the most significant promoters of the formal methods of higher analysis.’
- ‘The next significant study of perfect numbers was made by Nicomachus of Gerasa.’
- ‘We thought it only fitting that we do something quite significant for humanity.’
- ‘It is important to understand just how significant this new idea was.’
- ‘Yet the British music scene has always been an early indicator of significant social and political change.’
- ‘At present there seems to be a significant disparity in the statistics that are being reported.’
- ‘Rap, jazz and so called world music have seen significant increases in CD sales in the past few years.’
- ‘The appeal raises a point of some general importance and concerns a significant sum.’
- ‘The nurses want a significant increase in their flat fee for agreeing to be on call.’
- ‘This could be the only significant side effect possibly related to the product use.’
- ‘If the problem is difficult enough, a theorem like this can be a significant achievement.’
- ‘This work was little known about at the time but it has since emerged how significant this work proved to be.’
- ‘Max's published work, as significant and substantial as it is, is not what we will remember him by.’
- ‘This has the makings of a very significant case of very considerable legal importance.’
- ‘Although he was not a prolific writer, his work had a significant impact and is still of considerable interest.’
- ‘One of the most significant demographic changes was the decline of infant mortality at the turn of the century.’
- ‘They have achieved international publicity and significant sales in every continent.’
- ‘A rise in temperature of this kind would have a significant effect on the distribution of vegetation.’
- ‘Weldon asked the questions that drove Pearson to some of his most significant contributions.’
notable, noteworthy, worthy of attention, remarkable, outstanding, important, of importance, of consequence, consequential
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2Having a particular meaning; indicative of something.
‘in times of stress her dreams seemed to her especially significant’
- ‘Naming newborn children is always a very meaningful and significant issue for a family.’
- ‘As for adultery, it is significant that Santorum suggests it should be treated as a crime.’
- ‘Is it possible that certain expressions of hybridity are more significant than others?’
- ‘So how come the most prevalent symbol of this monumentally significant festival is the chocolate egg?’
- ‘For Fagan, the next few weeks promise to be the most significant of her year.’
- ‘It is significant that this weighty information is not revealed to the reader.’
- ‘In measuring that weakness, his sexual misbehaviour is more symbolic than significant.’
- ‘But symbolically, heading off to cover the conference is hugely significant for me.’
- ‘These statements may have been symbolic, but the symbolism was highly significant in the context.’
- ‘The data indicate that ethnicity is a significant factor in the development and course of the disease.’
- ‘The walls are covered with photographs marking significant moments in Wood Group's history.’
- ‘Empires from Rome to Carthage fought over this most significant of nautical prizes.’
- ‘Most significant of all, we felt, was that so many divers were keen enough to queue up to have their fitness checked.’
- ‘Use Mediamancy to derive significant messages from billboards and shop names.’
- ‘Ceres is the symbol of authority and it is significant also that she is goddess of the harvest and fecundity.’
- ‘Almost every significant word seems to suggest a corresponding image in sound.’
- ‘But Gordon Brown had a new and highly significant message for his American audience.’
- ‘Yes, but these disappearing acts are significant because they are symbolic of a wider truth.’
- ‘The national flower is the ceibo and the most symbolically significant tree is the ombu.’
- ‘It is not intelligence, it is information, and that, I think, is a significant point.’
1. 2.1Suggesting a meaning or message that is not explicitly stated.
  ‘she gave him a significant look’
  ‘At all times and in all hours they were in deep consultation and Margarot was observed to say to Campbell, with a significant wink, "keep an eye on the old gentleman", meaning me.’
  ‘Downstairs, Martha gives Margaretha a significant look, upon which she rises and excuses herself to her guests, who leave.’
3Statistics
Relating to or having significance.
- ‘All of these physiological parameters showed significant differences statistically.’
- ‘The first study fell short of showing a statistically significant benefit.’
- ‘Just as for the acentrics, group and radiation dose were statistically significant predictors.’
- ‘When we found the effect of sex to be statistically significant we regressed the male and female data separately.’
- ‘We considered a P value of less than 0.05 to be statistical significant in all comparisons.’