substantial

[ suhb-stan-shuhl ]

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

/ 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

Derived Forms

• subˈstantially, adverb
• substantiality, noun

Other Words From

• sub·stan·ti·al·i·ty [s, uh, b-stan-shee-, al, -i-tee], sub·stan·tial·ness noun
• sub·stan·tial·ly adverb
• non·sub·stan·tial adjective
• non·sub·stan·tial·ness noun
• non·sub·stan·ti·al·i·ty noun
• pre·sub·stan·tial adjective
• su·per·sub·stan·tial adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of substantial¹

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

Example Sentences

Successive British governments had invested "substantial sums of money" in renewing nuclear submarines and warheads because of this, he said.

From BBC

Researchers used the AI algorithm to scour four counties of interest that had substantial early oil production -- Los Angeles and Kern counties in California, and Osage and Oklahoma counties in Oklahoma -- and found 1,301 potential undocumented orphaned wells.

From Science Daily

Chemical analyses of both bones found substantial contributions from salmon proteins, meaning the canine had regularly eaten the fish.

From Science Daily

They will surely need to come up with a more substantial response before that election comes much closer.

From BBC

Eddington added that Vought and Patel will have the freedom to make substantial changes to the FBI, which has no legislative charter, meaning that major alterations to the way it operates do not require congressional approval.

From Salon

Related Words

• big
• consequential
• considerable
• extraordinary
• generous
• hefty
• large
• massive
• meaningful
• serious
• significant
• sizable
• solid
• steady
• strong
• valuable
• vast