Meaning & use
significant impact
Last updated
Meanings
phrasecountableformal
a large or important effect on someone or something.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a significant impact' or 'significant impacts'.
Patterns
- have a significant impact on something
- make a significant impact
- a significant impact of something
The new law had a significant impact on small businesses.
Climate change is having a significant impact on coastal cities.
Her research made a significant impact in the field of medicine.
phrasecountableformal
a strong and noticeable effect, especially in a particular situation or on a particular group.
Grammar: Often used with 'on' to name the person or thing affected.
Patterns
- a significant impact on someone/something
The strike had a significant impact on students preparing for exams.
The storm had a significant impact on the local fishing industry.
Common combinations
- have a significant impact on
- The new policy will have a significant impact on rural communities.
- make a significant impact
- The charity has made a significant impact since it was founded.
- a significant impact of
- One significant impact of the drought was higher food prices.
- a significant impact in
- The team made a significant impact in the final minutes of the game.
Synonyms and how they differ
- major effect
- Very similar in meaning, but 'major effect' is slightly less formal and more common in everyday speech.
- considerable influence
- This often suggests power to change decisions or opinions, while 'significant impact' focuses on the result.
- marked effect
- This is also formal but often describes a clearly visible change; 'significant impact' is broader.
Opposites
Word family
- significance noun
- the importance or meaning of something.
- significantly adverb
- in a way that is large or important enough to be noticed.
Commonly confused: significant impact or significative?
significant impact vs significative
This is a rare word meaning 'having meaning'; it is not used for effects. The common adjective is 'significant'.
Practice
Which sentence is correct?
Choose one answer.
The phrase is 'a significant impact on someone or something'. 'In' and 'for' do not fit this meaning, and option D is missing the article 'a' before the countable phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “significant impact”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.