rather more importantly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "rather more importantly" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize the significance of a point or argument in comparison to others. Example: "While the budget is important, rather more importantly, we need to consider the impact on employee morale."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

So does his place in history and, rather more importantly, his country's place in the world.

The Guardian - Opinion

It will also, and rather more importantly, wreck more than four decades of British economic and foreign policy.

The Guardian - Books

But fortunately for my peace of mind, and, rather more importantly, for the prospects of everyone on earth, it is almost certainly baloney.

The Guardian

Ideally Jennings will bring freshness and energy to the camp and, rather more importantly, much-needed runs at the top of the order.

The Guardian - Sport

How (or rather more importantly, why) did skateboarding transition from being a lifestyle to a sport?

Vice

Now that would be revolutionary -- or rather, more importantly, on a human scale -- evolutionary.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

However, the literature is rather scarce and more importantly, often contradictory.

Brain Research

At $119 it's rather affordable but more importantly, very unique.

TechCrunch

History gets glamorized and even though the song sounds kind of light and upbeat, I wanted the imagery to be rather dark and, more importantly, real.

Huffington Post

Still, compared with CT-colonography, research on MR-colonography is rather limited and more importantly to date no consensus has been achieved regarding imaging aspects.

European Radiology

More importantly, rather than challenge the status quo, as Professor Mwalimu J Shujaa argues, "schooling is the institutional process to perpetuate and maintain the society's existing power relations".

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When employing "rather more importantly", maintain a formal or semi-formal tone to align with the phrase's register.

Common error

Avoid using "rather more importantly" in casual conversations or informal writing, as it may sound overly formal or pretentious. Opt for simpler alternatives like "more importantly" or "most importantly" in those situations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "rather more importantly" functions as an adverbial phrase. It modifies a clause or sentence to indicate a higher degree of importance, signaling that the information being introduced is of greater consequence than previously stated. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "rather more importantly" serves to emphasize a point of greater significance. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, its grammatical correctness and usage in various contexts, primarily news, science and formal writing, make it a valuable tool for highlighting key information. While alternatives exist, such as "more significantly" or "above all else", the specific nuance of "rather more importantly" offers a unique way to signal relative importance. When employing this phrase, consider the context and maintain a tone that aligns with its formal register to ensure effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

most importantly of all

Adds emphasis by explicitly stating the point's supreme importance.

more significantly

Emphasizes importance but lacks the nuanced qualification of "rather".

more crucially

Highlights the critical nature of the point, intensifying the importance.

more critically

Similar to "more crucially" but with a slightly more analytical tone.

of greater importance

Directly states the increased level of significance in a formal manner.

more substantially

Focuses on the magnitude and impact of the point.

above all else

Elevates the point to the highest level of importance, surpassing all others.

primarily

Highlights the main aspect or reason, often simplifying the situation.

principally

Similar to "primarily" but carries a slightly more formal tone.

more to the point

Emphasizes relevance and directness.

FAQs

What does "rather more importantly" mean?

The phrase "rather more importantly" means that something is of greater significance or consequence compared to something else that has already been mentioned. It's used to emphasize the relative importance of a point.

How can I use "rather more importantly" in a sentence?

You can use it to introduce a key point that is more crucial than previous ones. For example, "While funding is necessary, "rather more importantly", we need a clear strategy."

What are some alternatives to "rather more importantly"?

Alternatives include "more significantly", "more crucially", "most importantly of all", or "above all else". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "more importantly, rather"?

While grammatically understandable, "more importantly, rather" is not as common or idiomatic as ""rather more importantly"". The latter flows more naturally and is generally preferred.