insignificant

adjective

ˌin(t)-sig-ˈni-fi-kənt How to pronounce insignificant (audio)
Definition of insignificantnext
1
as in small
lacking importance an insignificant detail that we can safely ignore

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in slight
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention the insignificant wear on the doll's face does nothing to diminish its considerable value as an antique

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of insignificant Each wash cycle may seem insignificant on its own, but over time, the cumulative effect of detergent use, water discharge, and packaging waste becomes substantial. — Zachary Reed, Mercury News, 23 June 2026 With inflation now at its highest level in three years, wages softening and the potential for an interest rate hike not insignificant, flexibility and access to your funds can feel especially important. — Matt Richardson, CBS News, 26 June 2026 Obama's presence is actually pretty insignificant. — Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 26 June 2026 Even with tariff turmoil swirling and adding a not-insignificant degree of confusion and instability to global trade, there have been some crucial bright spots for the textile industry over the past year, in large part because of the protections afforded by USMCA. — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for insignificant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insignificant
  1. small
  2. slight
  3. minor
  4. nominal
  5. little
  6. trivial
  7. unimportant
  8. tiny
Adjective
  • In contrast, instruments on the FireSat satellites will be able to detect small brush and roadside fires 16 feet across.
    — Eric Niiler, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • At the Cannes Film Festival in May, the model Toni Garrn made a striking appearance in a blue-black bustier dress embroidered with small petals.
    — Amy Verner, Vogue, 6 July 2026
Definition of small
Adjective
  • In 2024, roughly 48,800 Americans died by suicide, a slight decrease from the peak of nearly 49,500 deaths in this manner in 2022.
    — Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • Matching trousers stayed narrow through the hips before loosening down the leg into a slight flare.
    — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 3 July 2026
Definition of slight
Adjective
  • Three other people in the vehicle, including a 6-month-old, had minor injuries, the report said.
    — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2026
  • The adult and child had minor to moderate injuries and were taken to the hospital, the fire department said.
    — Jose Fabian, CBS News, 2 July 2026
Definition of minor
Adjective
  • Los Angeles stretches its NL West lead to 11 games and maintains MLB’s best record as Ohtani’s star power turns Sacramento’s nominal home crowd into a roaring Dodgers road show.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
  • The model produces outputs within nominal parameters, but those outputs reflect market conditions that are seconds or minutes stale.
    — Lev Yatsemyrskyi, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of nominal
Adjective
  • Selena Gomez took the little black dress to a new level ahead of longtime friend Taylor Swift’s wedding.
    — Jennifer McClellan, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • That little green or yellow can in the grocery store that boasts pictures of pears, cherries, grapes, and other fruit on the label?
    — Josh Miller, Southern Living, 4 July 2026
Definition of little
Adjective
  • The aesthetic philosophy runs through every decision, including ones that might seem trivial.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 28 June 2026
  • In reality, the origin is completely trivial.
    — Theodore McDarrah, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of trivial
Adjective
  • Some photos have subtle variations, while others include figures who may have been deemed unimportant at the time.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 June 2026
  • This isn't because taxes were unimportant, but because the Declaration aimed to build a case for independence, not a comprehensive historical record.
    — Joseph Thorndike, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Definition of unimportant
Adjective
  • Even tiny electromagnetic disturbances can disrupt the quantum states that perform calculations, reducing the accuracy and reliability of the system.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
  • What Uranus will look like Uranus should resemble a tiny greenish star and will appear only about 1/63 as bright as Mars.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 3 July 2026
Definition of tiny

Browse Nearby Words

insignificancy
insignificant
insignificantly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Insignificant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insignificant. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on insignificant

Nglish: Translation of insignificant for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All