Sometimes, it’s hard to say how important something really is. People have found fun and clever ways to talk about importance through idioms. Idioms are phrases that don’t mean exactly what the words say. Instead, they share a special meaning that helps us understand big ideas more easily. These idioms are used every day when people want to talk about something that truly matters. For example, when someone says, “That’s a big deal,” they don’t mean it’s large in size. They mean it’s very important.
In this article, we will look at idioms that show the importance of people, actions, or events. You will learn what each idiom means, see how it is used in real life, and even discover where it came from. These idioms will help you speak more clearly and understand others better, especially when talking about something that really counts.
Idioms About Importance
1. Big deal
Meaning: Something very important or special
Example Sentence:
• Getting into that college was a big deal for Maria.
• Winning the science fair is a big deal to Jake.
Other ways to say: Really important, a major thing
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom became popular in the 20th century as a way to highlight serious matters.
Usage: Used when something is very meaningful or has a lot of value.
2. Heavyweight
Meaning: A person or thing of great importance or influence
Example Sentence:
• She’s a heavyweight in the world of science.
• That company is a heavyweight in tech.
Other ways to say: Big name, major figure
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from boxing where heavier boxers are stronger and more respected.
Usage: Used to describe someone with power or respect.
3. Carry weight
Meaning: To be important or have influence
Example Sentence:
• His opinion carries a lot of weight at school.
• That rule carries weight in this club.
Other ways to say: Has power, means a lot
Fun Fact/Origin: From the idea that something heavy is harder to ignore.
Usage: Used when someone’s words or actions matter to others.
4. Make a mark
Meaning: To have an important effect or be remembered
Example Sentence:
• Rosa Parks made a mark in history.
• Her poem really made a mark in the contest.
Other ways to say: Leave a legacy, stand out
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from marking something to show it matters.
Usage: Used when someone does something memorable.
5. The real deal
Meaning: Someone or something that is truly important or genuine
Example Sentence:
• That teacher is the real deal—everyone learns from her.
• This isn’t just any car, it’s the real deal.
Other ways to say: Genuine, truly important
Fun Fact/Origin: Started in the 1900s to talk about people who are not fake.
Usage: Used to show that someone or something is truly special.
6. At the heart of
Meaning: The most important part of something
Example Sentence:
• Trust is at the heart of friendship.
• The idea of helping others is at the heart of our club.
Other ways to say: Main point, core part
Fun Fact/Origin: The heart is a symbol of importance and life.
Usage: Used to talk about the main reason or focus of something.
7. Hold in high regard
Meaning: To think something or someone is very important or worthy
Example Sentence:
• We hold our coach in high regard.
• Doctors are held in high regard by many people.
Other ways to say: Respect, value a lot
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from older English where “regard” meant to look with respect.
Usage: Used when someone is highly respected.
8. Top priority
Meaning: The most important thing to do
Example Sentence:
• Finishing my homework is my top priority tonight.
• Safety is the top priority at school.
Other ways to say: Most important task, number one job
Fun Fact/Origin: “Priority” comes from Latin meaning “first.”
Usage: Used when something must be done before anything else.
9. Pull a lot of strings
Meaning: To have power or control over decisions
Example Sentence:
• My uncle pulled a lot of strings to get me an internship.
• She pulled strings to get the best seat at the concert.
Other ways to say: Use influence, make things happen
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from puppet shows where strings control the action.
Usage: Used when someone uses connections to get results.
10. Key player
Meaning: An important person in a group or activity
Example Sentence:
• Emily is a key player on the soccer team.
• He’s a key player in the school play.
Other ways to say: Main person, big part
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from sports, where “key” players help win.
Usage: Used to describe someone who plays a big role in success.
11. Big cheese
Meaning: A very important person
Example Sentence:
• The big cheese of the company visited our school.
• He acts like the big cheese around here.
Other ways to say: Big shot, important person
Fun Fact/Origin: First used in the U.S. in the 1900s; “cheese” meant “thing” or “quality.”
Usage: Used in a playful way to describe someone powerful.
12. The bottom line
Meaning: The most important fact or point
Example Sentence:
• The bottom line is, we need to save money.
• You broke the rule. That’s the bottom line.
Other ways to say: Main point, what really matters
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from business reports where the last line shows profit or loss.
Usage: Used when making a final or important point.
13. Mean the world
Meaning: To be extremely important to someone
Example Sentence:
• My dog means the world to me.
• That gift meant the world to her.
Other ways to say: Very special, deeply cared for
Fun Fact/Origin: The “world” shows everything someone values.
Usage: Used when someone or something is loved deeply.
14. Make or break
Meaning: Something very important that decides success or failure
Example Sentence:
• This test is a make-or-break moment for me.
• The last game is make or break for the team.
Other ways to say: Crucial, very important
Fun Fact/Origin: Popular since the 1800s to describe critical situations.
Usage: Used for moments that change everything.
15. Of great consequence
Meaning: Something that has a big effect
Example Sentence:
• That decision was of great consequence.
• Skipping school may seem small, but it could be of great consequence.
Other ways to say: Very serious, important
Fun Fact/Origin: “Consequence” means result or effect.
Usage: Used when actions matter a lot.
16. Matter a lot
Meaning: To be very important
Example Sentence:
• Honesty matters a lot to me.
• It matters a lot that you tried your best.
Other ways to say: Really count, be meaningful
Fun Fact/Origin: Simple use of “matter” to show something has value.
Usage: Used when explaining why something is meaningful.
17. Put on a pedestal
Meaning: To treat someone as very important or perfect
Example Sentence:
• She was put on a pedestal by her fans.
• Don’t put him on a pedestal—he makes mistakes too.
Other ways to say: Admire too much, overpraise
Fun Fact/Origin: A pedestal lifts up statues to be looked at.
Usage: Used when someone is overly admired.
18. Be all that matters
Meaning: To be the most important thing
Example Sentence:
• Right now, your health is all that matters.
• To him, winning was all that matters.
Other ways to say: Most important, the main focus
Fun Fact/Origin: A common modern way to express key importance.
Usage: Used when something or someone is the top concern.
19. Put a lot of stock in
Meaning: To believe something is very important or true
Example Sentence:
• I put a lot of stock in hard work.
• She puts a lot of stock in honesty.
Other ways to say: Trust, believe in
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from buying stock, which means investing in something valuable.
Usage: Used when someone believes in something deeply.
20. Play a big role
Meaning: To be a major part of something
Example Sentence:
• Parents play a big role in a child’s life.
• Practice played a big role in our team’s win.
Other ways to say: Be a big part, be important
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from acting, where roles are key to a play.
Usage: Used when someone’s part is very important.
21. Big picture
Meaning: The overall or most important idea
Example Sentence:
• Don’t worry about small things—look at the big picture.
• In the big picture, helping others is what counts.
Other ways to say: Whole idea, main goal
Fun Fact/Origin: Came from photography and planning.
Usage: Used to focus on what really matters in the end.
22. A linchpin
Meaning: The key part that holds everything together
Example Sentence:
• She is the linchpin of our group project.
• The coach is the linchpin of the team.
Other ways to say: Key part, main support
Fun Fact/Origin: A linchpin is a pin that holds a wheel in place.
Usage: Used when someone is very necessary to success.
23. Central figure
Meaning: The most important person in a group or story
Example Sentence:
• She was the central figure in the school play.
• He’s the central figure in the science club.
Other ways to say: Main person, key player
Fun Fact/Origin: “Central” means middle or most focused on.
Usage: Used when someone is the focus.
24. Make headlines
Meaning: To do something very important or newsworthy
Example Sentence:
• Her invention made headlines across the country.
• The school made headlines for winning the contest.
Other ways to say: Get attention, be important news
Fun Fact/Origin: Headlines are the most seen part of a newspaper.
Usage: Used when something becomes very important to many people.
25. The main event
Meaning: The most important part of something
Example Sentence:
• The dance was the main event of the night.
• Lunch is the main event on a field trip!
Other ways to say: Highlight, big moment
Fun Fact/Origin: Used in boxing and sports to describe the key match.
Usage: Used for the biggest part of something.
26. Worth your salt
Meaning: To be good and valuable at what you do
Example Sentence:
• Any teacher worth their salt knows how to help students.
• He’s worth his salt on the football field.
Other ways to say: Skilled, important
Fun Fact/Origin: Salt was once used as money.
Usage: Used to show someone deserves respect.
27. Pillar of strength
Meaning: A person who is very important and supportive
Example Sentence:
• My mom is a pillar of strength for our family.
• The teacher was a pillar of strength during tough times.
Other ways to say: Strong support, steady person
Fun Fact/Origin: Pillars hold up buildings, just like people can hold up others.
Usage: Used when someone is very strong and important to others.
28. Of note
Meaning: Important or worth paying attention to
Example Sentence:
• The speaker made a point of note.
• That’s an idea of note for the class project.
Other ways to say: Worth noticing, meaningful
Fun Fact/Origin: “Note” means something to remember or write down.
Usage: Used to highlight something valuable.
29. Make a splash
Meaning: To attract attention by doing something important
Example Sentence:
• She made a splash at the talent show.
• The new app made a splash in the tech world.
Other ways to say: Get noticed, stand out
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from making a big splash in water.
Usage: Used when something becomes suddenly important.
30. On the map
Meaning: To become important or well known
Example Sentence:
• That movie put the small town on the map.
• Her big win put her school on the map.
Other ways to say: Become known, become important
Fun Fact/Origin: From geography, where being “on the map” means noticed.
Usage: Used when something becomes important to many people.
31. Put the spotlight on
Meaning: To give full attention to something important
Example Sentence:
• The news put the spotlight on school safety.
• The assembly put the spotlight on student talent.
Other ways to say: Highlight, focus on
Fun Fact/Origin: Spotlights are used in theater to show the star.
Usage: Used when something is shown to be very important.
32. Top dog
Meaning: The most important person in a group
Example Sentence:
• She’s the top dog in the art club.
• After the tournament, he was the top dog.
Other ways to say: Leader, best
Fun Fact/Origin: From dog fights where the winner is on top.
Usage: Used to describe someone in the lead.
33. Put first
Meaning: To treat as the most important
Example Sentence:
• We always put safety first at camp.
• She puts her family first.
Other ways to say: Prioritize, value most
Fun Fact/Origin: A common phrase showing care and focus.
Usage: Used when something is treated as most important.
Quiz: Idioms About Importance
Instructions: Choose the correct meaning for each idiom. Each question has one correct answer. Use what you’ve learned from the idioms to find the best choice.
Question Key
1. What does it mean if something is a big deal?
A) It’s confusing
B) It’s very important
C) It’s not true
2. If someone is a heavyweight in school, what does that mean?
A) They carry a heavy backpack
B) They are really tall
C) They are very important or respected
3. What does it mean when someone’s words carry weight?
A) They are written in bold
B) They are funny
C) People listen because they are important
4. If your health is all that matters, what does that mean?
A) You want candy
B) Your health is the most important thing
C) You are ignoring school
5. What does put first mean?
A) To choose last
B) To run fast
C) To treat something as most important
6. If someone is the real deal, what are they like?
A) They are fake
B) They are very real and important
C) They like shopping
7. If a person makes a splash at the school talent show, what happened?
A) They fell in water
B) They did something big and got attention
C) They whispered quietly
8. If something is your top priority, what does that mean?
A) You do it first because it’s most important
B) You want to skip it
C) You finish it last
9. What does it mean if a student is a key player in a group project?
A) They are new to the group
B) They are not helping
C) They are an important part of the team
10. What does it mean if someone is put on a pedestal?
A) They are ignored
B) They are treated as very special or perfect
C) They are hidden from view
Answer Key
- B) It’s very important
- C) They are very important or respected
- C) People listen because they are important
- B) Your health is the most important thing
- C) To treat something as most important
- B) They are very real and important
- B) They did something big and got attention
- A) You do it first because it’s most important
- C) They are an important part of the team
- B) They are treated as very special or perfect
Wrapping Up
Idioms can make talking about important things more fun and clear. From calling someone a “big deal” to saying something “carries weight,” these phrases help us share what really matters. By learning these idioms, you can better understand others and say things in smarter ways. Try using a few next time you talk about something meaningful—it might just make your words stand out.
