significant on

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'significant on' is not correct in written English.
You cannot use it. For example, you cannot say: He had a significant on his performance. Instead, you should say: He had a significant impact on his performance.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

Tourism is not significant on Molokai.

Encyclopedia Britannica

For the Nationals, that's significant on a few levels.

The Washington Post

The flow rate is significant on several fronts.

The Washington Post

Fishing resources are significant on the coast and at sea.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Effect of temperature was profoundly significant on the yield.

Industrial Crops and Products

The UN climate change talks are the most significant on the issue since Copenhagen in 2009.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

5 human-written examples

Saturday brings not one but two significant on-this-days for cricket's youngest and most violently transformational form.

The Guardian - Sport

They include 20% of significant on-screen roles going to actors with a BAME background.

The Guardian

This would not involve a significant on-the-ground presence of Western armies.

The Washington Post

Some significant on-field news broke for the Red Sox before their championship parade started rolling.

The Washington Post

This was Mario's last significant on-track activity at Indianapolis.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the effect something has, use "significant impact on" or "significant influence on" instead of "significant on". For instance, "The study has a significant impact on our understanding of the disease" is preferable.

Common error

Avoid using "significant on" to describe an effect or relationship. Instead, opt for "significant impact on", "significant influence on", or other more grammatically sound alternatives like "significant in" or "significant for".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "significant on" functions as a prepositional phrase attempting to describe a relationship or impact. However, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. As Ludwig AI points out, it's often misused where other prepositions like "in", "for", or constructions like "impact on" are more appropriate.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

41%

News & Media

40%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "significant on" appears frequently in various sources, particularly in scientific and news media, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's typically more appropriate to use alternatives like "significant in", "significant for", "significant to", or constructions like "has a significant impact on". Although prevalent, especially in certain contexts, its incorrect usage impacts clarity and should be avoided in formal writing. Always opt for grammatically sound alternatives to ensure clear and correct communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significant in

This alternative replaces 'on' with 'in', providing a more grammatically standard preposition for indicating area or scope.

significant for

Replacing 'on' with 'for' provides a more correct and common preposition to indicate who or what benefits from something.

significant to

This replacement makes the phrase describe something that is meaningful or important to a specific recipient or context.

has a significant impact on

This alternative uses a verb phrase to express the influence of something on another.

plays a significant role in

This uses a verb phrase to highlight the importance of something in a process or situation.

exerts a significant influence on

This alternative emphasizes the power or effect that something has on another.

is significantly related to

This alternative suggests a statistical or correlational connection between items.

is notably effective on

Similar to the original but focuses on effectiveness, although "on" should ideally be replaced with "for" or "in".

is remarkably consequential for

This indicates that something has important results or effects, again 'for' is a more appropriate preposition.

is materially important in

This highlights the substantial importance of something within a specific area.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "significant" with a preposition?

The word "significant" is often followed by prepositions such as "in", "for", or "to", depending on the context. However, the phrase "significant on" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. For instance, use "significant in" to describe an area or scope, "significant for" to indicate who or what benefits, or "significant to" to describe importance to a recipient.

What can I say instead of "significant on"?

You can replace "significant on" with alternatives like "significant in", "significant for", or "significant to" depending on the context. You might also use phrases like "has a significant impact on" or "plays a significant role in".

Is "significant on" grammatically correct?

No, "significant on" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. It's better to use prepositions like "in", "for", or "to" after "significant", or rephrase the sentence to use expressions like "has a significant impact on".

What's the difference between "significant in" and "significant on"?

"Significant in" is used to describe something important within a specific area or field, while "significant on" is not considered standard English. Use "significant in" to correctly convey importance within a context. For example, "The discovery was significant in the field of medicine."