importantly

adverb

im·por·tant·ly im-ˈpȯr-tᵊnt-lē

especially Southern US and New England -tənt-,

-dənt-

—used to say that what follows in a sentence is important

… much more importantly he stands a chance of having his publication barred …—

H. L. Mencken

: in an important way

… contributed importantly to the language of the field.—

Ernst Mayr

… the real story is importantly different from the one surmised.—

Alexander Woollcott

: in a self-important or pompous manner

… he talked importantly of the managerial position he had reached, after a lifetime of devotion and toil …—

William Trevor

Importantly vs. Important: Usage Guide

A number of commentators have objected to importantly as a sentence modifier (the use defined above at sense 1) and have recommended important instead. Actually, both the adverb and the adjective are in reputable standard use in this function. Important is always used with more or most.

had bronze weapons and composite bows; more important, they utilized the horse and war chariot —

Harry A. Gailey, Jr.

second and most important, the book contains no important woman character —

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Importantly is commonly used in similar contexts, but it is somewhat more flexible in not requiring more or most.

sticks and, just as importantly, unsticks easily —

Phoebe Hawkins

importantly, the leaven in the mixture is quality —

George O'Brien

Examples of importantly in a Sentence

Her research has contributed importantly to our understanding of the disease. He strutted to and fro importantly, ordering everybody around.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Most importantly, the I/O Fund continues to offer buy zones for those who’d like to participate. —

Beth Kindig, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024 But more importantly, Lee wants Allerton to love him. —

David Fear, Rolling Stone, 27 Nov. 2024 Most importantly, Bessent appreciates the positive and negative effects of tariffs on the U.S. economy. —

Chloe Berger, Fortune, 27 Nov. 2024 First and perhaps most importantly, connect and reconnect with people who share our values — who want a decent society, who reject bigotry, who treat people equally and respectfully, who seek social justice, and who keep in mind the common good. —

Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 26 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for importantly