importantly

adverb

im·​por·​tant·​ly im-ˈpȯr-tᵊnt-lē How to pronounce importantly (audio)
 especially Southern US and New England  -tənt-,
-dənt-
1
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
2
a
: 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
b
: 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.
And more importantly, Derek’s tortillas have burnt to a crisp. Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024 And importantly, diagnoses of primary and secondary syphilis — the most infectious stages of the infection — dropped 10% last year, to 53,000 cases. Benjamin Ryan, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024 Cheek to Cheek was a surprise hit, bringing Gershwin and Porter songs to the top of the Billboard 200 decades after their deaths; Gaga’s mojo had been slightly regained, but more importantly, her creative partnership and personal friendship with Bennett blossomed. Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 5 Nov. 2024 But most importantly, storytelling provides a way to understand others and to connect with them through asking questions, learning about them and sharing about yourself as well. Tracy Brower, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for importantly 

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of importantly was in 1611

Dictionary Entries Near importantly

Cite this Entry

“Importantly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/importantly. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on importantly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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