salience

USAGE SUMMARY

The word salience is correct and may be used in written English.
Salience typically refers to something being prominent, taking precedence, or standing out. An example sentence would be: "The salience of the topic shone through in our discussion, causing us to focus on it more than we had planned."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This is the first time that I can recall a senior Muslim politician, even one who is an unelected patronage appointee, throwing some community weight around – a scenario more familiar, I think, in France, where Muslim voters have more salience as a bloc, more muscle.

The Guardian

The economy, on which the Conservatives are more trusted than Labour, has been losing salience in the polls, while a troubled health service, on which the opposition enjoys the advantage, edges towards centre-stage.

The Guardian - Opinion

I have nothing against her; but I do have something very strongly against the salience and influence of the credit ratings culture in which she is a rising spear-carrier.

The Guardian - Opinion

But for me, the very things that give small charities their allure – greater autonomy, freedom from bureaucracies, salience of the founding vision – can also be their greatest limitations.

The Guardian

"Vote Blue, Go Green" was the Conservative slogan for the 2006 local elections; Mr Cameron has not revived the theme for this year's polling, which was taking place as we went to press.But whereas the political salience of greenery has wilted, the government's environmental policies are holding up.

The Economist

There has, however, been a marked decline in the salience of health and education (the two main public services) as political issues; jobs and the economy are now top.

The Economist

Since the end of the cold war, nuclear issues have had little political salience in Britain.

The Economist

The reason why the government decided to deny the permit is the whole point here.This confusion about the salience of motive came up in the torture debates of the last decade all the time, as well.

The Economist

I support gay marriage because I'm a ConservativeThe first argument is about salience.

The Economist

Its strength seems to relate to the evolutionary salience of the item in question.

The Economist

Only the economy consistently outranks crime as a concern for the public and, unlike many other issues, the salience of the issue is matched by the intensity of voters' views on it.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "salience" to highlight why certain information or factors take precedence over others, providing a rationale for their importance.

Common error

Avoid using "salience" when simpler words like "importance" or "relevance" suffice. Overusing complex vocabulary can make your writing sound pretentious.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "salience" is as a noun. It denotes the state or quality of being prominent or noticeable. As Ludwig AI confirms, the word is correctly used in English and commonly found in diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

22%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "salience" is a grammatically correct noun that signifies prominence or importance. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and frequent usage in various contexts. Its presence is particularly noticeable in News & Media, Formal & Business, and Science, reflecting a generally neutral to formal register. While "salience" effectively highlights significance, it's crucial to ensure clear context and avoid overuse when simpler alternatives like "importance" or "relevance" suffice. By adhering to these guidelines, writers can leverage "salience" to enhance clarity and impact in their communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prominence

Focuses on how something stands out visually or conceptually.

importance

Emphasizes the significance or value of something.

relevance

Highlights the connection or pertinence to a particular context.

noticeability

Indicates how easily something attracts attention.

conspicuousness

Suggests that something is very easy to notice or stands out markedly.

outstandingness

Implies exceptional quality or distinction that makes something stand out.

keyness

Highlights the quintessential or essential nature of something.

weight

Focuses on the influence or impact something has.

significance

Emphasizes the noteworthiness or importance of something.

priority

Indicates that something is given precedence over other things.

FAQs

How to use "salience" in a sentence?

Use "salience" to emphasize the prominence or importance of something. For instance, "The "salience of the issue" increased after the recent events".

What can I say instead of "salience"?

You can use alternatives like "prominence", "importance", or "relevance" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "salience" or "saliency"?

Both "salience" and "saliency" are correct and refer to the quality of being noticeable or important. "Salience" is generally considered the more formal term.

What's the difference between "salience" and "relevance"?

"Salience" refers to how much something stands out or is noticed, while "relevance" refers to how closely something is connected to the matter at hand. Something can be salient without being relevant and vice versa.