adv · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation, UK:/ɪmˈpɔː.tənt.li/
Received-Pronunciation, UK:[ɪmˈphɔːʔn̩ʔli]
Received-Pronunciation, UK:[ɪmˈphɔːtənt̚li]
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ɪmˈpɔɹ.tənt.li/
General-American:[ɪmˈphɔɹʔn̩tli]
General-American:[ɪmˈphɔɹʔn̩ʔli]
CMU ARPABET:IH2 M P AO1 R T AH0 N T L IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adv
Meaning 1
Used to mark a statement as having importance.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Qualifier: sentence adverb
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adv
Meaning 2
In an important manner.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adverb
Meaning 3
in an important way
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
for centuries jellies have figured importantly among English desserts, particularly upon festive occasion
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adverb
Meaning 4
in an important way or to an important degree
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
more importantly, Weber held that the manifold meaning attached to the event by the social scientist could alter his definition of the concrete event itself
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: significantly
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English important Middle English -ly English -ly English importantly From important + -ly.
Across languages
Translations
10 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Catalan:
notablement
— used to mark a statement as having importance
Chinese Mandarin:
重要的是...
(zhòngyào de shì...)
— used to mark a statement as having importance
Finnish:
tärkeää on
— used to mark a statement as having importance
Greek:
το σημαντικότερο
(to simantikótero)
— used to mark a statement as having importance
Greek:
το κυριότερο
(to kyriótero)
— used to mark a statement as having importance
Catalan:
importantment
— in an important manner
Chinese Mandarin:
重要地
(zhòngyào de)
— in an important manner
Finnish:
tärkeästi
— in an important manner
Greek:
σημαντικά
(simantiká)
— in an important manner