pretty significant

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "pretty significant" is correct and commonly used in written English.
It means that something is quite important or carries a lot of weight or significance. Example: The findings of the study are pretty significant as they challenge long-held beliefs about the effectiveness of traditional teaching methods.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

It's pretty significant".

The New York Times

And that's pretty significant.

The New York Times

That seems pretty significant.

The New York Times - Sports

"It's a pretty significant win".

The New York Times - Sports

"I think it's pretty significant".

The New York Times - Tech

That's pretty significant,' he says.

The Guardian - Business

"These are pretty significant mountains.

The Guardian

There's still pretty significant exception.

The Guardian

To him, it's pretty significant".

The New York Times

They were pretty significant issues.

The Guardian - Sport

And that's a pretty significant thing".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "pretty significant" to emphasize the importance or impact of a situation or event, particularly when you want to avoid stronger terms like "very significant" or "crucial".

Common error

While "pretty significant" is acceptable in many situations, it may come across as too informal in academic papers or business reports. Opt for more formal alternatives like "considerably important" or "substantially significant" in such cases.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "pretty significant" functions as an adjectival modifier, intensifying the adjective "significant". It highlights the notable degree or extent of something. This is confirmed by Ludwig's AI response, which recognizes its grammatical correctness and common usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

90%

Formal & Business

5%

Science

3%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

0.5%

Reference

0.5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "pretty significant" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression for emphasizing the importance or impact of something. As affirmed by Ludwig AI, it's widely accepted in written English. While versatile, it's best suited for neutral to slightly informal contexts; more formal situations might warrant stronger alternatives. Its prevalence in news and media sources indicates its general acceptance and readability. The related phrases offer a range of semantically similar options, allowing for nuanced expression depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

quite important

Directly replaces "significant" with "important", maintaining a similar tone and meaning. The intensifier "quite" is a good substitute for "pretty".

substantially important

"Substantially important" conveys a greater degree of impact or consequence compared to "pretty significant".

considerably important

Replaces "pretty" with "considerably", which gives a more formal tone.

markedly important

Using "markedly" instead of "pretty" emphasizes a noticeable level of importance.

fairly important

Substitutes "pretty" with "fairly", slightly reducing the emphasis but maintaining the core meaning.

decidedly important

This emphasizes the importance as "decidedly".

notably important

Using "notably" instead of "pretty" emphasizes the visibility or recognizability of the importance.

moderately important

Replaces "pretty" with "moderately", indicating a balanced level of importance.

majorly important

This version sounds less formal compared to the original one. "Majorly" is used as a synonym for "very".

somewhat important

Expresses a similar level of importance but indicates the need to emphasize it with the usage of "somewhat".

FAQs

How can I use "pretty significant" in a sentence?

You can use "pretty significant" to describe something that has a notable impact or importance. For example: "The new policy changes will have a "pretty significant" effect on our budget".

What are some alternatives to saying "pretty significant"?

Alternatives to "pretty significant" include "quite important", "considerably important", or "markedly important". The choice depends on the specific context and level of formality you want to convey.

Is it correct to use "pretty" to modify "significant"?

Yes, using "pretty" to modify "significant" is grammatically correct. It serves as an intensifier, indicating a notable degree of significance. It's similar to using "quite" or "fairly".

What's the difference between "pretty significant" and "very significant"?

"Very significant" implies a higher degree of importance compared to "pretty significant". "Pretty significant" is slightly less intense and can be used in more casual contexts, while "very significant" suggests something of substantial importance or consequence.