material

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adjective

Definition of MATERIAL

1

relating to or composed of matter <there's no material evidence, such as a dead body, that a murder has been committed>

Synonyms concrete, physical, substantial

Related Words bodily, carnal, corporal, corporeal, embodied, fleshly; apparent, appreciable, detectable, discernible (also discernable), noticeable, observable, palpable, perceptible, seeable, sensible, tangible, touchable, visible; objective, phenomenal; bulky, heavy, hefty, massive, ponderous, solid, weighty

Near Antonyms bodiless, discarnate, disembodied, formless, incorporeal, unbodied; ethereal, insubstantial, unsubstantial; impalpable, imperceptible, insensible, intangible, invisible, unnoticeable; airy, diaphanous, gossamery, tenuous, thin, vaporous, wispish; metaphysical, spiritual

Antonyms immaterial, nonmaterial, nonphysical

2

having great meaning or lasting effect <there's no material difference between the two designs for the skyscraper: one's as bad as the other>

Synonyms big, consequential, earthshaking, earth-shattering, eventful, historic, major, material, meaningful, momentous, monumental, much, significant, substantial, tectonic, weighty

Related Words decisive, fatal, fateful, strategic; earnest, grave, heavy, serious, sincere; distinctive, exceptional, impressive, outstanding, prominent, remarkable; valuable, worthwhile, worthy; distinguished, eminent, great, illustrious, noble, notable, noteworthy, outstanding, preeminent, prestigious; famous, notorious, renowned; all-important, central, critical, crucial, essential, key, pivotal, seminal, vital

Near Antonyms paltry, petty, worthless; anonymous, nameless, obscure, uncelebrated, unknown

Antonyms inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant, little, minor, negligible, slight, small, trifling, trivial, unimportant

3

having to do with life on earth especially as opposed to that in heaven <people who worry more about material concerns than about spiritual ones>

Synonyms carnal, earthborn, earthbound, fleshly, material, mundane, sublunary, temporal, terrene, terrestrial, worldly

Related Words animal, bodily, corporal, corporeal, physical; daily, diurnal; unspiritual; anthropic (or anthropical), anthropocentric

Near Antonyms celestial, Elysian, empyreal, empyrean, supernal; metaphysical; devotional, divine, religious, sacred, spiritual, utopian; extraterrestrial; ethereal, supernatural, transcendent, transcendental

Antonyms heavenly, nontemporal, unearthly, unworldly

4

having to do with the matter at hand <that information, while fascinating, is not material to our discussion>

Synonyms applicable, apposite, apropos, germane, material, pointed, relative, relevant

Related Words appropriate, apt, fit, fitting, suitable; important, meaningful, significant; sensible, useful; admissible, allowable

Near Antonyms frivolous, inconsequential, insignificant, little, minor, negligible, slight, trifling, trivial, unimportant; meaningless, purposeless, senseless, useless; inappropriate, inapt, unsuitable; inadmissible

Antonyms extraneous, immaterial, impertinent, inapplicable, inapposite, irrelative, irrelevant, pointless

5

of or relating to the human body <material needs such as food and warmth>

Synonyms animal, bodily, carnal, corporal, corporeal, fleshly, material, somatic

Related Words anatomic (or anatomical), physiological (or physiologic); sensual, sensuous; hand-to-hand

Near Antonyms cerebral, inner, intellectual, mental, psychological (also psychologic); bodiless, immaterial, incorporeal, insubstantial, spiritual; ethereal, metaphysical, psychic (also psychical)

Antonyms nonmaterial, nonphysical