are significant only

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "are significant only" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize that something holds importance or relevance exclusively in a specific context or under certain conditions. Example: "The results of the experiment are significant only when the variables are controlled."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

41 human-written examples

Somalis, like many of the world's people, are significant only when they are considered a threat.

The Guardian - Opinion

We don't feel quantum mechanics because its effects are significant only in the tiny realm of the atom.

The New York Times - Books

We think the Mona Lisa is famous because of its traits, but we think those traits are significant only because they belong to the Mona Lisa, which we know to be famous.

The New York Times - Books

These are significant only in some different special circumstances.

Journal of Theoretical and Applied Physics

The savings are significant only if the underlying alphabet is large enough.

Journal of Discrete Algorithms

Contrary to our expectations, the results are significant only when the auditors were penalized with lower sanctions.

SERIEs

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

18 human-written examples

Explication is static (so are opinions); criticism, like art, is significant only when it's dynamic.

The New Yorker

And her killing is significant only in "the effect and suffering it brings to Michael".

The Guardian - Film

He said the probation would be significant only if Ernst & Young violated it, which would lead to additional penalties.

The New York Times

That stigma began to be significant only with the widespread publication of school league tables in the 90s.

The Guardian

In some contests, time is significant only when there is equality of faults.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "are significant only", ensure the limiting condition is clearly stated to avoid ambiguity. For example, "These results are significant only when the sample size is greater than 30."

Common error

Avoid using "are significant only" without specifying the condition that limits significance. Saying "These findings are significant only" lacks context and leaves the reader wondering when they actually matter.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "are significant only" functions as a qualifier, limiting the scope or condition under which something holds importance or relevance. As confirmed by Ludwig, it is grammatically sound. Examples show its usage in academic and scientific contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

72%

News & Media

20%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "are significant only" is a common and grammatically correct qualifier used to indicate that something holds importance or relevance under specific conditions. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is well-suited for formal and scientific writing where precision is crucial. While alternatives like ""are exclusively significant"" or ""hold significance solely"" exist, "are significant only" is often preferred for its straightforwardness. When using this phrase, ensure the limiting condition is clearly defined to avoid ambiguity. The phrase is particularly frequent in the fields of science and news reporting.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

are exclusively significant

Replaces "only" with "exclusively", emphasizing the limited scope of significance.

are merely significant

Substitutes "only" with "merely", suggesting a minimal level of significance under certain conditions.

hold significance solely

Replaces "are significant" with "hold significance" and "only" with "solely", altering the sentence structure while retaining the core meaning.

are important solely

Replaces "significant" with "important" and "only" with "solely", providing a more common synonym while maintaining the restrictive condition.

matter only when

Changes the structure to emphasize the condition upon which something matters.

are relevant solely

Replaces "significant" with "relevant" and "only" with "solely", focusing on the applicability of something under specific circumstances.

are consequential solely

Uses "consequential" as a synonym for "significant", adding a sense of impact that is limited to certain situations.

are pertinent exclusively

Replaces "significant" with "pertinent" and "only" with "exclusively", indicating that something is specifically related or applicable under certain conditions.

become important solely

Shifts the focus to the process of gaining importance, emphasizing the condition that triggers significance.

are uniquely significant

Suggests that the significance is tied to a specific, perhaps rare, condition.

FAQs

How can I use "are significant only" in a sentence?

The phrase "are significant only" is used to indicate that something is important or relevant under specific conditions. For example, "The side effects "are significant only" at high dosages".

What can I say instead of "are significant only"?

You can use alternatives like "are exclusively significant", "are merely significant", or "hold significance solely" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "are significant only" or "are only significant"?

Both phrases can be grammatically correct, but ""are significant only"" generally emphasizes the limiting condition more strongly than "are only significant".

What's the difference between "are significant only" and "are exclusively significant"?

"Are significant only" implies a conditional significance, while ""are exclusively significant"" suggests that significance is limited to a particular context with no other possibilities.