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very important person

very important person

16 2.5
A person with great power or status who gets special treatment
  • noun
  • /ˈvɜri ɪmˈpɔrtənt ˈpɜrsən/
translation icon : persona muy importante
  • Got some very important people for you to meet.
  • a lot of very important people
  • meet some very important people
  • a very important person in my life

OK, so this, this man is a very important person.

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Examples

Synonyms

king
vsvery important person
508 1.0

The most important person or thing in a field

is less grandiose and focuses on general influence and privileges
giant
vsvery important person
126 4.0

A very important and influential person in a field

is more about overall high status and the attention it brings
VIP
vsvery important person
125 3.1

A very important person who gets special treatment

is the same idea but emphasises general high influence and status
eminence
vsvery important person
  • Formal
52 7.4

A very respected person in a field who is often an expert

stresses influence and the special attention rather than rank alone
important person
vsvery important person
50 1.8

A person whose actions or words change what happens for many people

focuses more on high social status and special attention
big deal
vsvery important person
  • Informal
37 3.8

An important person who is treated as successful or powerful

emphasises influence and special treatment rather than attitude
biggie
vsvery important person
  • Informal
35 6.8

A very important event, thing, or person that matters a lot

is more formal and stresses rank, influence, and privileges
dignitary
vsvery important person
31 6.9

A person who has an important job in government or the church

is broader, including informal influence without official office
major player
vsvery important person
29 3.8

A person or company that has a lot of power in a field

adds personal status and usually special privileges or attention
bigwig
vsvery important person
  • Informal
22 6.9

An important person with power in a company or group

is more general, adding public attention and privilege aspects
influential person
vsvery important person
15 3.2

A person whose actions or ideas strongly affect other people's choices

adds visible status and often receives special treatment
big fish
vsvery important person
  • Informal
14 3.6

An important person in a group or organization who has power

covers importance both inside groups and in wider society
big cheese
vsvery important person
  • Slang
8 5.3

A person who is very important in a group or company

is similar but includes social status and special treatment too
high-up
vsvery important person
5 7.1

A person with an important job in an organization

adds social prominence and the idea of special attention
notable
vsvery important person
5 4.1

A person who is well known and admired

focuses more on power and the special treatment that follows distinction
big kahuna
vsvery important person
  • Slang
4 9.5

A very important person in a group or organization, often the most powerful

can be any highly influential person, not always the top leader
colossus
vsvery important person
4 7.5

A very large, strong, or important person like a leader

adds the social privilege and special treatment aspect more strongly
top cat
vsvery important person
  • Informal
1 7.5

A person who is in charge of a group and makes the main decisions

covers important people more broadly, not only the single leader
big daddy
vsvery important person
  • Slang
1 8.1

An important person who makes key decisions for a group

is broader, applying to influential people regardless of dominance
somebody
vsvery important person
1 2.5

An important person who is well known in a field

is wider, applying to anyone with high status or public privilege
panjandrum
vsvery important person
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who acts too proud and tries to seem important

is neutral, not implying arrogance or unpleasant behaviour
eminence grise
vsvery important person
  • Literature
1 9.9

A person who has a lot of influence behind the scenes without an official role

is the public face with visible status and open privileges
grand poobah
vsvery important person
  • Slang
9.9

A joking name for a person who has great power in a group

is serious, noting true high influence and special treatment
high muckamuck
vsvery important person
  • Archaic
9.9

A person who has an important job that people mention as a joke

is literal and describes actual high status and privileges

Antonyms

5 2.0

A person or thing that is not special

How Important

very important person
16 2.5
dignitary
31 6.9
notable
5 4.1
famous person
50 1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

very + important + person

The phrase is fully compositional: 'very' intensifies 'important', and 'important person' straightforwardly denotes a person of considerable influence or status. This is a literal, cross-linguistically common construction with no idiomatic shift, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Very important person grew from the short form V.I.P., which hotels and events would put next to names to show who should get special treatment. Seeing V.I.P. meant a private entrance, a reserved seat, or extra help, so the phrase now means 'a person who gets special attention or privileges'.