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.
On many issues, the “readouts”—publicly released official statements of what was discussed in a meeting—from the White House and from China differed substantially.
From Slate • May 16, 2026
Analysts expect Applied Materials’ sales and earnings growth to pick up substantially in the company’s fiscal fourth quarter, which ends in October.
From Barron's • May 14, 2026
“It needs to be substantially reduced for Venezuela to engage on a virtuous circle.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
Even if you could get in now, you might not profit, even if the stock “pops,” or sells for substantially more than the offer price, on opening day.
From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026
Once considered relentlessly positive, we seem to have substantially lowered our expectations.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
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.
