significantly

significantly — adverb

1. to a degree that is large enough to be noticed or to have a clear effect on a si

1.adverbB2
Definition

to a degree that is large enough to be noticed or to have a clear effect on a situation, especially when comparing things or measuring change over time

Example

The new software runs significantly faster than the old version.

collocation: significantly + comparative (faster)

Profits have increased significantly since the company changed its strategy.

collocation: significantly + verb of change (increased)

Common collocations
  • significantly better
  • significantly higher
  • significantly lower
  • significantly different
  • significantly increase
  • significantly reduce
  • significantly improve
  • significantly affect
Synonyms
  • considerably

    similar degree, slightly more formal — 'considerably higher'

  • substantially

    stronger emphasis on the size of the difference — 'substantially reduced'

  • markedly

    focuses on how clearly the difference stands out — 'markedly different'

  • noticeably

    focuses on the difference being visible or perceptible — 'noticeably warmer'

Antonyms
  • slightly

    small degree of difference — 'slightly better'

  • marginally

    very small degree — 'marginally higher'

Grammar Patterns

significantly + comparative adjective

significantly + verb of change (increase, reduce, improve)

Usage Note

Most naturally used with comparative adjectives (significantly better, significantly higher) and verbs of measurable change (significantly improve, significantly reduce, significantly affect). Rarely used with base adjectives — 'significantly big' sounds unnatural.

Common Mistakes

The temperature is significantly hot today.
The temperature is significantly hotter than yesterday.
'significantly' pairs with comparative forms, not base adjectives.
She runs significantly fast.
She runs significantly faster than before.
Use a clear point of comparison to make the degree meaningful.

2. used when a look, a pause, a gesture, or the tone of someone's words carries ext

2.adverbC1
Definition

used when a look, a pause, a gesture, or the tone of someone's words carries extra meaning beyond what is said openly — often a meaning shared by only some of the people present

Example

When the teacher mentioned the test, Gita looked significantly at her friend.

collocation: looked significantly at someone

Eitan paused significantly before answering the question, making everyone lean forward.

collocation: paused significantly

Common collocations
  • look significantly at
  • pause significantly
  • smile significantly
  • nod significantly
  • add significantly
  • glance significantly
Synonyms
  • meaningfully

    most direct synonym, interchangeable in most contexts — 'looked meaningfully at'

  • knowingly

    suggests shared understanding or inside knowledge — 'grinned knowingly'

  • expressively

    focuses on conveying emotion or attitude through expression — 'raised an eyebrow expressively'

Grammar Patterns

significantly + verb of expression (look, pause, smile, nod, add)

Usage Note

Typically appears with verbs of communication — look, pause, smile, nod, add, say, raise (an eyebrow) — where the speaker or writer intends to convey extra meaning beyond the literal words. The hidden meaning is usually clear to certain people in the context but not to everyone.

Common Mistakes

She smiled significantly at the joke.
She smiled significantly when her friend mentioned the surprise party.
The significant smile must convey a shared secret or extra meaning, not just a reaction.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All four words indicate a large degree of difference or change, but they differ in emphasis and register. 'Significantly' (the headword) carries the additional implication that the difference matters or has practical consequences — not just that it is large. 'Considerably' is the closest neutral synonym, commonly used in both formal and everyday speech ('considerably more expensive'). 'Substantially' is more formal and suggests a large portion or bulk ('substantially reduced'), while 'markedly' highlights how clear or distinct the difference is ('markedly different approach'). 'Noticeably' focuses on perceptibility — the change is big enough for anyone to see ('noticeably quieter'). For everyday writing, 'significantly' and 'considerably' are the safest choices; 'markedly' and 'noticeably' are better when you want to emphasise the visibility of the change.

considerably ↗substantially ↗markedlynoticeably ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Phrases

  • significantly more/less
  • statistically significant

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Comes from the Latin verb 'significare' (to show, to mean — from 'signum' meaning 'sign' and 'facere' meaning 'to make'). The word travelled into English through French 'significatif' and then 'significant' as an adjective. The adverbial form 'significantly' appeared in English writing in the early 1600s, originally carrying the meaning 'in a way that conveys a meaning,' and later broadening in the 1800s to also describe large degrees of difference or change.