substantially
Americanadverb
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by an ample or considerable amount; quite a lot.
As a professor, my workload is substantially reduced or eliminated during the summer months.
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in a basic or essential way; fundamentally.
The new law mandates equal pay for substantially similar work, whether at the same establishment or not.
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in a solid or firm way; stoutly or sturdily.
In the far north, homes take more fuel to heat and also have to be built more substantially.
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in a corporeal or material way; physically.
The Eucharist makes the very Person of Christ truly, really, and substantially present in the consecrated bread and wine.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of substantially
Explanation
Substantially means "to a great extent." Your college fund was substantially increased by your grandfather's generous gift. What the heck, I'll throw in a quarter, too. Substantially is a good word to know any time you want to establish something's extent. It basically suggests "a large part." Your raise made your life substantially easier. The word also suggests an essential nature, as in "Nothing was substantially changed by the new law." The word carries a great deal of weight, as can be seen in this quote by Albert Einstein: "We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if mankind is to survive."
Vocabulary lists containing substantially
John F. Kennedy's Address to the American People on the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
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Lee Surrenders to Grant (1865)
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Most Dangerous
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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.
Largely because of disruptions to petroleum production and sulfur shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, sulfur prices have increased substantially.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
Ten of his league goal involvements followed carries, fewer only than Vinicius Jr, despite Jackson playing substantially fewer minutes.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
With characteristic densities near 10-6 Mpc-3, those objects would contribute substantially less to the observed signal.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026
A 2025 study found that the carbon dioxide released by such companies and their products has substantially worsened heat waves since 2000.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
Although the old structure remains, the piece has been substantially revised, in some places by severe cutting, in other places by the addition of new material.
From "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
