Another Word for Important: 60 Synonyms and How to Choose

On this page10 sections

1. Quick list: the ten you will use most
2. Synonyms for important, grouped by meaning
3. Another word for an important person
4. Words people mix up
5. Phrases that replace "important" altogether
6. Choosing a word in real writing
7. 12 example sentences
8. Opposites of important
9. Common mistakes
10. Practice: pick the better word

The most useful other words for important are significant, essential, crucial, vital, key, major, central and critical. They are not interchangeable. Essential means you cannot do without something, significant means it has a large effect, and key means it sits at the centre of the matter. Pick the word that says which kind of important you mean, and your sentence gets sharper instead of just longer.

Below, 60 synonyms are grouped by that meaning, with notes on the ones people mix up, phrases that can replace the adjective altogether, words for an important person, and a short practice set.

Quick list: the ten you will use most

Synonyms for important, grouped by meaning

1. “You cannot do without it”

essential, vital, necessary, indispensable, fundamental, integral, crucial, critical, requisite, imperative

Use these when removing the thing would break whatever you are describing. Integral suggests a part built into a whole (Music is integral to the film). Indispensable is stronger than necessary: there is no substitute. Imperative usually describes an action that must happen: It is imperative that we leave now.

2. “It has a big effect”

significant, major, considerable, substantial, serious, momentous, far-reaching, consequential, weighty, profound

Momentous suits events (a momentous decision), far-reaching suits changes whose effects spread (far-reaching reforms), and profound suits effects on people or ideas (a profound influence). In research writing, take care with significant: readers may take it to mean statistically significant. If you only mean “large”, substantial or considerable avoids the confusion.

3. “It is at the centre”

key, central, main, chief, principal, primary, core, pivotal, cardinal, leading

Pivotal means things turn on it, so it fits a moment or a role: a pivotal scene, a pivotal witness. Principal (an adjective meaning “main”) is often confused with principle (a noun meaning “a rule”); the principal reason is correct.

4. “It needs attention now”

urgent, pressing, high-priority, time-sensitive, top-priority, acute, burning

These are the words to use when “important” really means “do this soon”. In an email subject line, Time-sensitive: contract signature needed by Friday tells the reader far more than Important. A burning question is one that everybody wants answered.

5. “It is worth noticing”

notable, noteworthy, remarkable, salient, striking, memorable, meaningful, relevant

Salient means the point that stands out most and is common in reports and essays: the salient facts of the case. Relevant is the honest choice when you only mean “connected to what we are discussing”.

6. “The most important of all”

paramount, supreme, foremost, overriding, top, number one

Paramount already means “more important than anything else”: Safety is paramount. Adding “very” or “most” to it weakens it rather than strengthening it.

7. Informal choices

big, huge, a big deal, serious, heavy

Fine in conversation and casual writing: Passing this test is a big deal for her. In an essay or a report, swap them for a word from groups 1 to 3.

Another word for an important person

When “important” describes a person, the meaning shifts from “needed” to “having status or influence”. Choose by the kind of standing you mean:

• influential: able to change what others think or do (an influential critic)
• prominent: well known in a field or a town (a prominent local lawyer)
• eminent or distinguished: respected for long achievement (an eminent historian)
• leading: among the best in a field (a leading heart surgeon)
• powerful or high-ranking: holding authority (a high-ranking officer)
• senior: higher in an organisation (a senior manager)
• Informal nouns: VIP, big shot, heavyweight, big name

Words people mix up

• Crucial or critical? Both mean that a lot depends on something. Critical also carries a sense of danger (critical condition, a critical shortage), while crucial points to a deciding moment (the crucial vote).
• Essential or vital? Nearly the same. Vital comes from the Latin for “life” and keeps a sense of keeping something alive or running: vital supplies, vital signs.
• Significant or important? Significant stresses size or effect you can point to; important can simply mean “it matters to someone”. An important birthday is natural; a significant birthday suggests a round number.
• Key or main? Main ranks things (the biggest one). Key says the others depend on it. The main ingredient in bread is flour; the key ingredient may be the yeast.

Phrases that replace “important” altogether

Sometimes the best fix is to drop the adjective and use a verb or a phrase. Compare Sleep is important for memory with Sleep matters for memory or Memory depends on sleep.

• matters / counts: Every vote counts.
• carries weight: Her opinion carries weight with the board.
• makes a difference: A good night’s sleep makes a real difference.
• is at the heart of: Fairness is at the heart of the dispute.
• above all / first and foremost: Above all, keep the receipt.
• worth noting / worth remembering: It is worth remembering that the offer ends in May.
• a priority / top of the list: Fixing the roof is top of the list.

Comparisons work too, and they belong to figurative language: you can call something the backbone of the team or say a decision is the keystone of the plan. For more of these, see our similes for important and metaphors for important.

Choosing a word in real writing

In an essay. Teachers often circle “important” because it tells the reader nothing about why. Name the reason: The treaty was important pivotal because it ended a decade of border wars. Good essay choices: significant, central, key, fundamental, pivotal.

In a résumé or cover letter. Describe your part, not just its importance: played a key part in, led a major redesign, delivered a critical update on deadline. A number does more than any adjective: cut processing time by a third.

In an email. Say what kind of important: urgent, time-sensitive, action needed, or for your information. Readers learn to ignore a subject line that says “Important” every week.

In speech. Plain words are fine: This really matters to me sounds more sincere than This is of paramount significance to me.

12 example sentences

1. Clean water is essential to public health.
2. The coach made one crucial change at half-time.
3. The museum holds a significant collection of early maps.
4. Local volunteers were vital to the rescue effort.
5. Price is the key factor for most buyers.
6. The report left out several salient details.
7. Her first novel was a pivotal moment in her career.
8. For a pilot, clear communication is paramount.
9. He is a prominent figure in the city’s music scene.
10. We have a pressing need for more nurses.
11. The discovery had far-reaching consequences for medicine.
12. Your feedback was valuable to the whole team.

Opposites of important

minor, trivial, insignificant, negligible, unimportant, peripheral, secondary, petty, inconsequential, irrelevant. Negligible means so small it can be ignored (a negligible cost); peripheral means at the edge rather than the centre; petty adds disapproval (petty complaints).

Common mistakes

• Stacking intensifiers. Very crucial, extremely essential and most paramount add nothing. These words are already strong; many editors cut the “very”.
• Using a big word for a small thing. A momentous sandwich is a joke, not a description. Match the strength of the word to the stakes.
• “More important” or “more importantly”? Both are standard at the start of a sentence (More importantly, the bridge reopened). Some older style advice preferred more important; either is acceptable today.
• Principal vs principle. The principal cause (main) is not the principle cause.

Practice: pick the better word

Choose the word that fits the meaning best.

1. The patient is still in (crucial / critical) condition.
2. Please reply today: this request is (time-sensitive / significant).
3. Yeast is the (main / key) ingredient that makes the dough rise.
4. Honesty is (paramount / pressing) in a doctor-patient relationship.
5. She is a (prominent / vital) architect in Chicago.
6. The change in temperature was too small to matter; it was (negligible / salient).

Answers: 1. critical (danger) · 2. time-sensitive (it is about timing) · 3. key (the rising depends on it; flour is the main ingredient) · 4. paramount (most important of all) · 5. prominent (a person’s standing) · 6. negligible

Looking for warmer, more vivid ways to say something matters? Our guide to figurative language explains how comparisons work, and other ways to say good does the same job as this page for another overused word.