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Prepositions with significance

Using prepositions with significance

Significance usually takes “of” to identify what matters and “for” to show importance to someone or something. Other prepositions depend on sentence structure.

Quick answer

Which prepositions are used with significance?

Use “significance of” for the meaning or importance of something. Use “significance for” to show importance to a person, group, or situation. “In significance,” “into significance,” and “about significance” are possible in broader sentence structures but are not standard fixed combinations.

We discussed the significance of the discovery.
The change has great significance for small businesses.
They argued about significance in modern art.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
significance of + noun

Explaining meaning or importance

Use “significance of” to identify what is important or meaningful.

Researchers studied the significance of the results.
She explained the significance of the ceremony.
2
significance for + person/group

Showing importance to someone

Use “significance for” to show who or what is affected.

The decision has little significance for voters.
3
about significance

Talking on the topic of significance

“About significance” is not a fixed combination with the noun. Here, “about” introduces the topic of discussion.

They wrote about significance in religious symbols.
4
in significance

Using significance in comparisons

“In significance” appears in comparisons or measurements, not as a fixed collocation.

The two discoveries differ in significance.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
significance of
The significance of the vote became clear later.
the meaning or importance of something
significance for
The law has major significance for employers.
importance to someone or something
about significance
The lecture was about significance in poetry.
about introduces the discussion topic
into significance
The phrase “into significance” is uncommon with this noun.
generally not a standard collocation

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using for instead of of for meaning

Use “significance of” to identify what has meaning or importance.

✕ We studied the significance for the symbol. ✓ We studied the significance of the symbol.

Treating into significance as a normal phrase

English rarely uses “into significance” with this noun.

✓ The discovery gained significance over time.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The article explains the ___ the tradition.
2. The reform has great ___ rural communities.
3. The two events differ ___ but not in size.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the most common preposition with significance?

“Of” is the standard choice for meaning or importance.

Can I use “significance for”?

Yes. It expresses importance to a person, group, or situation.

Is “about significance” wrong?

No. It is correct when “about” introduces a discussion topic rather than forming a fixed phrase with the noun.

of, about, against, to or for racism? of, about, for, in or on friendship? of, about, for, on or to thing? of, about, for, to or with sex? of, about, on, to or for moon? "of access" or "with access"? "of accommodation" or "for accommodation"? "of accuracy" or "for accuracy"? "of action" or "in action"? "of actor", "with actor" or "by actor"? "of address" or "to address"? "of administration" or "in administration"?

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