importantly

adverb

im·​por·​tant·​ly im-ˈpȯr-tᵊnt-lē How to pronounce importantly (audio)
 especially Southern US and New England  -tənt-,
-dənt-
1
—used to say that what follows in a sentence is important
… much more importantly he stands a chance of having his publication barred …—H. L. Mencken
2
a
: in an important way
… contributed importantly to the language of the field.—Ernst Mayr
… the real story is importantly different from the one surmised.—Alexander Woollcott
b
: in a self-important or pompous manner
… he talked importantly of the managerial position he had reached, after a lifetime of devotion and toil …—William Trevor
Importantly vs. Important: Usage Guide

A number of commentators have objected to importantly as a sentence modifier (the use defined above at sense 1) and have recommended important instead. Actually, both the adverb and the adjective are in reputable standard use in this function. Important is always used with more or most.

had bronze weapons and composite bows; more important, they utilized the horse and war chariot —Harry A. Gailey, Jr.
second and most important, the book contains no important woman character —F. Scott Fitzgerald

Importantly is commonly used in similar contexts, but it is somewhat more flexible in not requiring more or most.

sticks and, just as importantly, unsticks easily —Phoebe Hawkins
importantly, the leaven in the mixture is quality —George O'Brien

Examples of importantly in a Sentence

Her research has contributed importantly to our understanding of the disease. He strutted to and fro importantly, ordering everybody around.
Recent Examples on the Web Don’t forget to pack a small gas canister or portable stove, which are absolutely essential for boiling water — and most importantly, making coffee. —Kelsey Glennon, Travel + Leisure, 3 May 2024 Bella Hadid has returned from playing the starring role in Rodeo and Juliet–a sort of real-life rom-com where an international supermodel falls in love with a simple Texan cowman and realizes there is a life beyond New York, London, Paris and Milan–and is (more importantly) back in capri pants. —Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 2 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for importantly 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'importantly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of importantly was in 1611

Dictionary Entries Near importantly

important

importantly

importation

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Importantly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/importantly. Accessed 8 May. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on importantly

Nglish: Translation of importantly for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of importantly for Arabic Speakers

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