important-looking

IPA/ɪmpˈɔːtəntlˈʊkɪŋ/
IPA/ɪmpˈɔːɹtəntlˈʊkɪŋ/

important-looking — adjective

1. having an outward look that suggests power, authority, or high status — used abo

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

having an outward look that suggests power, authority, or high status — used about a person, a piece of equipment, a building, or a document that appears impressive enough to be taken seriously.

Example

Paul walked into the room carrying an important-looking leather briefcase.

attributive use before noun phrase

The envelope was marked with an important-looking official stamp.

compound adjective modifying concrete noun

Common collocations
  • important-looking document
  • important-looking building
  • important-looking person/official
  • important-looking equipment
Synonyms
  • impressive-looking

    very close in meaning, but 'impressive' focuses on the effect on the viewer rather than the implied status of the thing itself

  • imposing

    more formal; suggests size, strength, or solemn dignity rather than status

  • dignified

    suggests calm seriousness and self-respect rather than power or wealth

Antonyms
  • humble-looking

    suggests a modest, unpretentious appearance

  • shabby

    suggests worn, poor appearance rather than simply unimpressive

Grammar Patterns

important-looking + noun

be + important-looking

Usage Note

This is a compound adjective formed by joining an adjective (important) with the present participle looking. It is hyphenated when it appears before a noun (an important-looking document) but the hyphen is often dropped when it follows the verb (the document looked important). Learners should not confuse it with the fixed phrase look important, which simply means 'seem important'.

Common Mistakes

He is an important looking man' (no hyphen before a noun).
He is an important-looking man.
when the compound comes before the noun, a hyphen is needed to avoid confusion.
She looked importantly at the papers.
She looked important, holding the papers.
'importantly' (adverb) means 'in an important manner', not 'having the appearance of importance'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These four words all describe a striking outward appearance, but they differ in what kind of impression they emphasise. Important-looking focuses on the suggestion of power, authority, or high status — a person who looks like a decision-maker, or a document that looks official. Impressive-looking is broader: it simply means 'causing admiration through appearance', whether by size, beauty, or skill. Imposing is the strongest of the group, suggesting a sense of force or solemn grandeur that may even be intimidating ('an imposing courthouse'). Dignified has a narrower emotional colour: it describes calm, serious, self-respecting behaviour or appearance, without necessarily implying wealth or power ('a dignified old woman in a simple black dress'). A building can be both imposing and important-looking; a person can be dignified without being important-looking if they lack obvious signs of status.

important-looking ↗impressive-lookingimposing ↗dignified ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • important-looking man/woman
  • important-looking package
  • important-looking letter

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglishOld English

A compound adjective formed in English by joining 'important' (from Latin importans, 'being of consequence') with the present participle 'looking' (from Old English locian, 'to use the eyes'). Hyphenated compounds of this pattern — adjective + looking — became common in English from the 19th century onward as a concise way to describe appearance-based judgements.