importance

/ɪmˈpɔːrtəns/
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The quality that makes something matter, extending to rank or status and to measured weight in rankings or models.

Examples

  • Education takes on added importance during a crisis.
  • Several people of importance attended the ceremony.
  • The role lost importance when the department was reorganized.
  • The decision was of great importance to the town.
  • The city’s political importance has declined.

Similar words

prominence
weight
consequence
value
import
ranking
score
significance
relevance
priority

Meanings

Value or consequence

noun
everyday
neutral
The quality that makes something matter, deserve attention, or affect what happens.

Examples

  • The report stressed the importance of clean water.
  • Education takes on added importance during a crisis.
  • List the tasks in order of importance.
  • The decision was of great importance to the town.
  • She does not underestimate the importance of listening carefully.

Similar words

Rank or standing

noun
social
neutral
High rank, influence, or status that makes a person, place, or role noticed and respected.

Examples

  • The port grew in importance after the railway arrived.
  • He was keenly aware of his own importance.
  • Several people of importance attended the ceremony.
  • The role lost importance when the department was reorganized.
  • The city’s political importance has declined.

Similar words

Model or ranking weight

noun
technology
technical
A measured score or assigned priority showing how much an item, variable, or feature contributes within a model, ranking, or decision.

Examples

  • Feature importance helps explain which inputs drive a model.
  • The algorithm assigns an importance score to each signal.
  • The survey ranked safety and price by relative importance.
  • Permutation importance dropped when the feature was shuffled.
  • Task importance can change as a project nears its deadline.

Similar words

Etymology

From Middle French importance, from Medieval Latin importantia, built on importare, meaning "bring in" and later "imply, mean, be of consequence."

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