significant difference between

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "significant difference between" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in contexts such as research, statistics, or comparisons to indicate that there is a notable distinction between two or more items or groups. Example: "The study revealed a significant difference between the control group and the experimental group in terms of their performance."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

There is one significant difference between Wenger and Jones.

The Guardian - Sport

There is no statistically significant difference between these percentages.

The Guardian - Opinion

The mistake amplified a significant difference between Irwin and Fleisher.

The New York Times - Sports

Both transgressors escaped punishment, but the most significant difference between the incidents was in their outcome.

The Guardian - Sport

But there is a significant difference between the Erving and Kidd situations.

The New York Times - Sports

"I think there is a significant difference between us on this issue".

The New York Times

There was no significant difference between the two groups in the reasons for failure.

The New York Times - Health

There's still a significant difference between average US wages and Chinese wages remains significant.

The Guardian - Business

Nash said there was a "significant difference" between cigarettes and sugar.

The Guardian

And there is no significant difference between speaking on a hand-held or hands-free device.

The New York Times - Magazine

A significant difference between var.

Mycological Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When highlighting a "significant difference between" two or more subjects, provide specific details and data to support your claim. This adds credibility and strengthens your argument.

Common error

Avoid using "significant difference between" without presenting evidence. Significance implies a meaningful impact, so always substantiate your claim with relevant data or observations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "significant difference between" functions as an adjective phrase that modifies a noun, emphasizing that there is a notable and important distinction between two or more entities or concepts. Ludwig's analysis supports this, indicating its widespread use in highlighting key distinctions.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

42%

News & Media

37%

Formal & Business

7%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "significant difference between" is a widely used and grammatically correct way to highlight notable distinctions, as confirmed by Ludwig. It is most frequently found in science and news media, and tends toward a neutral or formal register. When using this phrase, it is important to provide specific details and data to support your claim and avoid overstating significance without evidence. Consider using alternatives like "substantial distinction between" or "notable disparity between" to add variety to your writing. Overall, Ludwig underscores the versatility and reliability of this phrase in expressing meaningful comparisons.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

important distinction between

Highlights the relevance of a difference.

notable disparity between

Replaces "significant difference" with "notable disparity", emphasizing the inequality or lack of similarity.

marked contrast between

Uses "marked contrast" to highlight a clear and obvious difference.

substantial distinction between

Substitutes "significant difference" with "substantial distinction", indicating a noteworthy difference.

pronounced difference between

Uses "pronounced" to stress how noticeable the difference is.

considerable variation between

Emphasizes the degree of change or divergence between the items being compared.

major divergence between

Focuses on the point at which the items begin to separate or differ.

obvious contrast between

Highlights a very evident difference.

clear differentiation between

Highlights the act of distinguishing or separating the items based on their differences.

meaningful gap between

Emphasizes the importance or relevance of the difference.

FAQs

How can I use "significant difference between" in a sentence?

You can use "significant difference between" to highlight a notable distinction between two or more things. For example, "There is a significant difference between the two treatment groups in terms of recovery time."

What is a more formal way to say "significant difference between"?

More formal alternatives include "substantial distinction between" or "notable disparity between". For example, instead of "There's a significant difference between the two approaches", you could say "There is a "substantial distinction between" the two approaches".

How do I determine if a difference is truly "significant"?

In statistical contexts, significance is often determined by statistical tests that yield a p-value. A statistically significant difference typically means the p-value is below a pre-defined threshold (e.g., 0.05), suggesting the observed difference is unlikely due to chance. The term can also be used qualitatively when the differences are very obvious and impactful in everyday observation.

What's the difference between "significant difference between" and "no significant difference between"?

"Significant difference between" indicates that there is a notable and meaningful distinction. Conversely, "no significant difference between" suggests that the observed differences are not statistically or practically meaningful, and could likely be due to chance or other factors.