important

im‧por‧tant S1 W1 /ɪmˈpɔːtənt $ -ɔːr-/ BrE AmE adjective
[Word Family: noun: ↑importance; adverb: ↑importantly; adjective: ↑important ≠ ↑unimportant]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: Old Italian importante 'carrying a meaning, significant', from Latin importare; ⇨ ↑import²]
1. an important event, decision, problem etc has a big effect or influence on people’s lives or on events in the future:
a very important meeting
The accident taught him an important lesson.
Happiness is more important than money.
‘What did you say?’ ‘Oh, nothing important.’
it is important (to do something)
It’s important to explain the procedure to the patient.
It’s vitally important that you understand the danger.
important for
It was important for the president to continue his schedule, regardless of the bomb threat.
important to
Nothing could be more important to me than my family.
► When you mean that you care about something a lot, say that it is important to you, not that it is ‘important for’ you.
2. people who are important have a lot of power or influence:
a very important customer
They carry guns because it makes them feel important.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ important having a big effect on people’s lives or on events in the future: an important decision | Good qualifications are increasingly important.
▪ big important or serious: It’s a big decision. | a big problem
▪ significant important enough to be noticeable or have a big effect: There is no significant difference between the performance of male and female students. | The Internet has brought about significant changes in people’s lives.
▪ noteworthy formal important or interesting enough to deserve your attention: The castle is the island’s most noteworthy feature. | The jury’s verdict was noteworthy for a number of reasons.
■ very important
▪ essential very important, especially for the success, health, or safety of someone or something: It is essential to speak the local language. | essential supplies of food and clothing
▪ vital/crucial extremely important, because without it there could be serious problems: His evidence was vital to the case. | The US plays a crucial role in the region. | The media are a vital part of the political system.
▪ key extremely important and having a big effect: Wheeler had a key role in the development of the atom bomb. | Timing is key.
▪ of great/considerable importance very important: In the construction industry, health and safety are of considerable importance.
▪ momentous very important because it has a very great effect on the future: Momentous events were taking place in Russia. | a momentous decision
■ most important
▪ main/chief/principal [only before noun] most important: What was your main aim? | the principal reason for their decision | the chief cause of the recession
▪ major [usually before noun] one of the most important or serious things: Smoking is a major cause of heart disease. | Street crime is a major problem.
▪ central/primary [usually before noun] most important – used especially when talking about the main thing that people are discussing, worried about, or trying to do: Education will be the central issue in the election. | Our primary concern is passenger safety.
▪ paramount /ˈpærəmaʊnt/ formal more important than anything else, so that you must consider it when deciding what to do: Airport security is of paramount importance. | The needs of the students are paramount.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

important

im·port·ant [ɪmˈpɔːtnt] [ɪmˈpɔːrtnt] adjective
1. having a great effect on people or things; of great value
• an important decision/factor
• I have an important announcement to make.
• Money played an important role in his life.
• Listening is an important part of the job.
• one of the most important collections of American art
• It is important to follow the manufacturer's instructions.
• It is important that he attend every day.
• (BrE) It is important that he should attend every day.
• It is important for him to attend every day.
• ~ (to sb) It's very important to me that you should be there.

• The important thing is to keep trying.

2. (of a person) having great influence or authority
• an important member of the team
• He likes to feel important.
Derived Word: importantly
Word Origin:
late Middle English: from medieval Latin important- ‘being of consequence’, from the verb importare ‘bring in’ (in medieval Latin ‘imply, mean, be of consequence’), from in- ‘in’ + portare ‘carry’.
Thesaurus:
important [important importantly] adj.
1.
• I have an important announcement to make.
significant • • great • • crucial • • critical • • vital • • essential • • momentous • |informal big • |formal notable •
Opp: unimportant, Opp: trivial
be important/significant/crucial/critical/vital/essential for/to sb/sth
be important/significant/crucial/critical/vital/essential/notable that…
important/significant/great/crucial/critical/vital/momentous/big/notable events/changes/developments
Important or significant? Important is a more general word. Things that are significant are important from a particular point of view, have been measured in some way, or are great in degree:
• These figures are statistically significant.
¤ These figures are statistically important.:
• a significant proportion of the population
¤ an important proportion of the population
2.
• Being a manager is an important job.
powerful • • dominant • • influential • • great • • high-powered • • instrumental • |approving strong •
Opp: unimportant
important/dominant/influential/instrumental in (doing) sth
a/an important/powerful/dominant/influential/great/strong figure/leader/position
a/an important/powerful/dominant/great/strong influence
Which word? Powerful people such as politicians use their position to control events. Influential people change other people's opinions or behaviour because people respect and listen to them. Important people influence other people or events because people respect them or because their position means their actions have a great effect. Strong people are confident and have leadership qualities.
Language Bank:
emphasis
Highlighting an important point
▪ This case emphasizes ▪ / highlights ▪ the importance of honest communication between managers and employees.
▪ Effective communication skills are essential ▪ / crucial ▪ / vital ▪.
It should be noted that ▪ this study considers only verbal communication. Non-verbal communication is not dealt with here.
It is important to remember that ▪ / An important point to remember is that ▪ non-verbal communication plays a key role in getting your message across.
▪ Communication is not only about the words you use but also your body language and, especially ▪ / above all ▪, the effectiveness with which you listen.
▪ I would like to draw attention to ▪ the role of listening in effective communication.
▪ Choose your words carefully: in particular ▪, avoid confusing and ambiguous language.
▪ Finally, and perhaps most importantly ▪, you must learn to listen as well as to speak.
note at essential
Language Bank at vital
Example Bank:
• He made me feel important by asking me lots of questions about myself.
• It's important for you to understand this.
• Several factors make this painting uniquely important.
• Someone left a message for you— it sounded important.
• Spending time with my children is important to me.
• The work of the intelligence services was crucially important to victory in the war.
• These ideas are considered enormously important.
• These two factors are equally important.
• This is most important: you must deliver the letter to Johnson himself.
• This is what makes our work so important.
• an internationally important site for these rare birds
• historically important buildings
• Her management experience was an important factor in our decision to appoint her.
• It is important for him to attend every day.
• It is important to follow the manufacturer's instructions.
• It is one of the most important collections of American art.
• It's very important to me that you should be there.
• Many disabled people do now hold important jobs in industry.
• She is an important member of the team.
• The important thing is to keep trying.

• The media are important in forming public perceptions.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

important / ɪmˈpɔː.t ə nt / / -ˈpɔːr.t̬ ə nt / adjective

A1 necessary or of great value:

I think his career is more important to him than I am.

It 's important for children to learn to get on with each other.

The important thing is to keep the heat low or the sugar will burn.

He's not amazingly handsome, but he's nice and that's more important.

→ Opposite unimportant

B1 having great effect or influence:

He was one of the most important writers of that period.

an important person/decision

importantly / -li / adverb

B2

If we served more soft drinks, there would be fewer hangovers and, more importantly, fewer drink-driving incidents.

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

important

[ɪmpɔ͟ː(r)t(ə)nt]

1) ADJ-GRADED: oft ADJ to n, it v-link ADJ to-inf/that Something that is important is very significant, is highly valued, or is necessary.
  Her sons are the most important thing in her life...
  The planned general strike represents an important economic challenge to the government...
  This gold is every bit as important to me as it is to you...
  It's important to answer her questions as honestly as you can...
  It was important that he rest.
  Derived words:
  importantly ADV-GRADED I was hungry, and, more importantly, my children were hungry.
2) ADJ-GRADED Someone who is important has influence or power within a society or a particular group.
  He was the most important person on the island.
  ...an important figure in the media world.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

important

im·por·tant /ɪmˈpoɚtn̩t/ adj [more ~; most ~]
1 : having serious meaning or worth
• She's an important [=significant] part of the team.
• Diet and exercise are important for health. : deserving or requiring serious attention
• an important problem
• In his editorial, he made several important points.
• It's important that you remember to send these forms on time. = It's important for you to remember to send these forms on time.
• Scientists have made an important discovery.
• Doing her job well is important to her.
• The new policy will help businesses and, more important [=importantly], it will create thousands of new jobs. [=it is more important that the new policy will create thousands of new jobs]
• critically/crucially/vitally important
2 : having power, authority, or influence
• He's one of the most important scholars in his field.
• an important artist