substantial
adjective
sub·stan·tial
səb-ˈstan(t)-shəl 
1
2
: ample to satisfy and nourish : full
a substantial meal
3
a
: possessed of means : well-to-do
b
: considerable in quantity : significantly great
earned a substantial wage
4
: firmly constructed : sturdy
a substantial house
5
: being largely but not wholly that which is specified
a substantial lie
substantial
noun
Synonyms
Examples of substantial in a Sentence
A substantial number of people commute to work each day.
Activities like that pose a substantial risk of injury.
She purchased her tickets at a substantial discount.
Only the buildings that were constructed of more substantial materials survived the earthquake.
I was hoping that they would serve us something more substantial than wine and cheese.
Recent Examples on the Web
The singer subsequently cancelled his Justice World tour and has not performed a full concert or given a substantial update on his condition in months.
—
Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 4 Apr. 2024
The Seattle International Film Festival, which runs the Egyptian and the Uptown, added the Cinerama to its substantial cinema footprint in 2023, renaming it the Downtown.
—Pat Saperstein, Variety, 4 Apr. 2024
Republican legislative leaders, who strongly opposed substantial tax increases, welcomed Wednesday’s compromise, which avoided the largest increases House Democrats had proposed.
—Katie Shepherd, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
For the reconstructed new bridge, which opened in 1987, engineers surrounded several of the bridge’s piers with a total of 36 large dolphins and placed other piers on substantial barrier islands.
—Casey Tolan, CNN, 3 Apr. 2024
Both countries continue to spend substantial resources to gain territory, but their advances are rare and small.
—Branislav L. Slantchev, Foreign Affairs, 1 Apr. 2024
Even if the average effects of these tools on individuals is modest, their public health benefits could be substantial if widely-deployed, much like adding fluoride to drinking water to prevent population-wide rates of tooth decay.
—Jessica Schleider, STAT, 1 Apr. 2024
The search, while detailing how Garvey owed substantial amounts across California, did not always say whether the lien has been paid or released or is still open.
—David Lightman, Sacramento Bee, 23 Mar. 2024
The divorce was officially dismissed in February 2023, according to court records viewed by PEOPLE, and Audrey says now that she’s seen substantial change in the man who raised her.
—Rachel Desantis, Peoplemag, 21 Mar. 2024
Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 4 Apr. 2024
The Seattle International Film Festival, which runs the Egyptian and the Uptown, added the Cinerama to its substantial cinema footprint in 2023, renaming it the Downtown.
—Pat Saperstein, Variety, 4 Apr. 2024
Republican legislative leaders, who strongly opposed substantial tax increases, welcomed Wednesday’s compromise, which avoided the largest increases House Democrats had proposed.
—Katie Shepherd, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
For the reconstructed new bridge, which opened in 1987, engineers surrounded several of the bridge’s piers with a total of 36 large dolphins and placed other piers on substantial barrier islands.
—Casey Tolan, CNN, 3 Apr. 2024
Both countries continue to spend substantial resources to gain territory, but their advances are rare and small.
—Branislav L. Slantchev, Foreign Affairs, 1 Apr. 2024
Even if the average effects of these tools on individuals is modest, their public health benefits could be substantial if widely-deployed, much like adding fluoride to drinking water to prevent population-wide rates of tooth decay.
—Jessica Schleider, STAT, 1 Apr. 2024
The search, while detailing how Garvey owed substantial amounts across California, did not always say whether the lien has been paid or released or is still open.
—David Lightman, Sacramento Bee, 23 Mar. 2024
The divorce was officially dismissed in February 2023, according to court records viewed by PEOPLE, and Audrey says now that she’s seen substantial change in the man who raised her.
—Rachel Desantis, Peoplemag, 21 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'substantial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near substantial
Cite this Entry
“Substantial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/substantial. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
substantial
adjective
sub·stan·tial
səb-ˈstan-chəl
1
a
: consisting of or relating to substance : material
b
: not imaginary : real
the substantial world
c
: important sense 1, essential
substantial differences
2
: enough to satisfy and nourish
a substantial meal
3
a
: prosperous sense 1
a substantial farmer
b
: considerable in quantity : significantly large
a substantial increase
4
: firmly constructed
a substantial building
Legal Definition
substantial
adjective
sub·stan·tial
səb-ˈstan-chəl
1
a
: of or relating to substance
b
: not illusory : having merit
failed to raise a substantial constitutional claim
c
: having importance or significance : material
a substantial step had not been taken toward commission of the crime—W. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr.
W. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr.2
: considerable in quantity : significantly great
identification of serious and substantial failure to perform—U.S. Code
compare de minimis
U.S. Code
substantially
adverb
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