an important number

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an important number" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a number that holds significance or relevance in a particular context, such as statistics, calculations, or identifiers. Example: "In the study, the researchers found that an important number of participants reported feeling more energized after the intervention."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

These clusters were also found to contain an important number of Family 1 Solute Binding Proteins (F1SBPs), predicted to import oligosaccharides associated to ABC transporters.

Plosone

"That's an important number.

The New York Times - Sports

How can such an important number change so drastically?

The New York Times

The approved investment amount is an important number.

The New York Times

It's an important number but it's also probably an inaccurate one.

The Guardian

He makes his sons focus on strength, skills, and conditioning — three is obviously an important number for him.

The New Yorker

It was not an important number, but still I pretended that this guy had saved my life.

The New Yorker

"I know it is a very small number," he said, but around freezing temperature, it is an important number.

The New York Times - Travel

"We started to arrest the first part and an important number of the network which was behind this terrorist," Gharsalli said.

The Guardian

The ratio, the price-to-earnings multiple of a company divided by a consensus estimate of expected earnings growth, is an important number for many investors.

The New York Times

"It is an important number and a symbolic number for us," said Seth Winter, the executive vice president for sales of the NBC Sports Group.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "an important number", ensure the context clearly explains why the number is significant. Provide specific details or reasons to justify its importance to the audience.

Common error

Avoid using "an important number" without providing context. Failing to explain why a number is important can leave your audience confused and diminish the impact of your statement. Always substantiate the significance of the number with relevant details or explanations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an important number" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "important" modifies the noun "number". It is used to emphasize the significance of a particular numerical value. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

39%

News & Media

37%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "an important number" is a common and grammatically correct way to emphasize the significance of a numerical value. As Ludwig AI explains, it's appropriate for various contexts, particularly in science and news media. When using this phrase, it's crucial to provide context to explain why the number is important, avoiding vagueness. Alternatives such as "a significant figure" or "a crucial value" can be used depending on the specific nuance required. In essence, "an important number" serves as a signal to the audience that the following value holds particular relevance and should be carefully considered.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a significant figure

Replaces "important" with "significant", emphasizing the noteworthiness of the number.

a crucial value

Substitutes "important" with "crucial", highlighting the essential nature of the number.

a key statistic

Specifies that the important number is a statistic, often used in data analysis.

a noteworthy quantity

Replaces "important" with "noteworthy", indicating the number deserves attention.

a relevant metric

Suggests the number is a metric, relevant in a specific field or measurement.

a consequential amount

Emphasizes the consequence or impact of the number.

a vital measurement

Highlights that the number is a measurement of great importance.

a considerable sum

Implies the number represents a large amount of money or resources.

a telling indicator

Suggests the number is an indicator that reveals something important.

a substantial proportion

Indicates the number represents a large fraction of a whole.

FAQs

How can I use "an important number" in a sentence?

Use "an important number" when you want to highlight the significance or relevance of a specific quantity or value. For example, "24 weeks is "an important number" when it comes to hepatitis C treatment".

What are some alternatives to "an important number"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "a significant figure", "a crucial value", or "a key statistic".

Is it better to say "important number" or "significant number"?

Both "important number" and "significant number" are grammatically correct and convey a similar meaning. The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to emphasize. "Significant" often implies statistical relevance.

When is a number considered "an important number"?

A number is considered "an important number" when it holds significance due to its impact, relevance, or role in a particular context. It's crucial to provide context to explain why the number is important.