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Synonyms

substantial

American  
[suhb-stan-shuhl] / səbˈstæn ʃəl /

adjective

  1. of ample or considerable amount, quantity, size, etc..

    a substantial sum of money.

  2. of a corporeal or material nature; tangible; real.

    Antonyms:
    ethereal, immaterial
  3. of solid character or quality; firm, stout, or strong.

    a substantial physique.

    Synonyms:
    sturdy, stable
  4. basic or essential; fundamental.

    two stories in substantial agreement.

  5. wealthy or influential.

    one of the substantial men of the town.

  6. of real worth, value, or effect.

    substantial reasons.

    Synonyms:
    weighty, important, consequential, significant
  7. relating to the substance, matter, or material of a thing.

  8. of or relating to the essence of a thing.

    the substantial parts of the ruling.

  9. existing as or being a substance; having independent existence.

    a substantial being.

  10. Philosophy. relating to or of the nature of substance or reality rather than an accident or attribute.


noun

  1. something substantial.

substantial British  
/ səbˌstænʃɪˈælɪtɪ, səbˈstænʃəl /

adjective

  1. of a considerable size or value

    substantial funds

  2. worthwhile; important

    a substantial reform

  3. having wealth or importance

  4. (of food or a meal) sufficient and nourishing

  5. solid or strong in construction, quality, or character

    a substantial door

  6. real; actual; true

    the evidence is substantial

  7. of or relating to the basic or fundamental substance or aspects of a thing

  8. philosophy of or relating to substance rather than to attributes, accidents, or modifications

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • nonsubstantial adjective
  • nonsubstantiality noun
  • nonsubstantialness noun
  • presubstantial adjective
  • substantiality noun
  • substantially adverb
  • substantialness noun
  • supersubstantial adjective

Etymology

Origin of substantial

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English substancial, from Late Latin substantiālis, equivalent to Latin substanti(a) substance + -ālis -al 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“There is substantial doubt about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern,” BuzzFeed said in its fourth-quarter earnings report on Thursday.

From MarketWatch

“Seriously Silly” provides the first substantial account of Jones’s disparate and lesser-known pursuits: co-founding a brewery, writing a collection of children’s stories.

From The Wall Street Journal

Acrimony from the war could also make it harder for Iran to circumvent sanctions through front companies in Dubai’s free-trade zones, shutting off a substantial dollar flow that benefited both sides.

From The Wall Street Journal

These VIX futures spreads require substantial margin because they can revert back the other way, generating substantial losses.

From MarketWatch

“There has been a reversal of the inflows, but it’s not substantial.”

From MarketWatch