insubstantial

[in-suhb-stan-shuhl]

adjective

1. not substantial or real; lacking substance.

   an insubstantial world of dreams.

2. not solid or firm; weak; flimsy.

3. not substantial in amount or size; inconsiderable.

   an insubstantial sum.

insubstantial

/ ˌɪnsəbˈstænʃəl /

adjective

1. not substantial; flimsy, tenuous, or slight

2. imaginary; unreal

Other Word Forms

• insubstantiality noun
• insubstantially adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of insubstantial¹

From the Late Latin word insubstantiālis, dating back to 1600–10. See in- ³, substantial

Example Sentences

But CBS is already full of people who think they know what they’re doing, who believe they represent hallowed tradition, the so-called Tiffany network, against which the Free Press must seem a tad insubstantial.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Bold yet insubstantial, “Love Hurts” insecurely asks the score to do too much work, pounding away at a funky spy track before unconvincingly pivoting to something sincere.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

And, it added, the savings Texas sought were “wholly insubstantial in light of the costs involved to these children, the State, and the Nation” of creating “a subclass of illiterates within our boundaries.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The UN's cultural agency said that despite "significant growth in production", the business of film-making across the continent was hindered by issues such as piracy, insubstantial training opportunities and a lack of official film institutions.

Read more on BBC

The UN's cultural agency said that despite "significant growth in production", industries across the content were hindered by issues such as piracy, insubstantial training opportunities and a lack of official film institutions.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• fanciful 
• flimsy 
• illusory 
• puny 
• tenuous 
• unreal