substantial

adjective

sub·​stan·​tial səb-ˈstan(t)-shəl How to pronounce substantial (audio)
1
a
: consisting of or relating to substance
b
: not imaginary or illusory : real, true
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
substantiality noun
substantially adverb
substantialness noun

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 This well-above industry average RTP demonstrates the casino’s commitment to fairness and transparency, promising players a substantial return on their bets. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 The money available to LIHEAP customers who qualify can be substantial — ranging from a few hundred dollars to more than $1,000, depending on the level of income, the size of a household and the balance that is past due. Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2024 European regulators signaled Apple's rejection of Epic's effort to set up an iPhones app developer account in Europe, based in Sweden, might run afoul of the DMA, raising the specter of potentially a substantial fine. Michael Liedtke, Quartz, 8 Mar. 2024 While President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump emerged victorious from Super Tuesday, winning nearly all of their respective primaries, both faced substantial pockets of discontent within their parties. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024 Mike McGlinchey’s $15 million base salary into signing bonus to create substantial salary cap space. Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 8 Mar. 2024 Despite finally ending a years-long wait for substantial snow, New York City and Philadelphia experienced snowfall deficits this winter. Mary Gilbert, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024 The impact on the communities near the plants has been substantial as well, according to many residents. Alfredo Sosa, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Mar. 2024 The compliance costs of federal disclosure requirements have been estimated to be substantial. Sehoon Kim, The Conversation, 6 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.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of substantial was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near substantial

Cite this Entry

“Substantial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/substantial. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

substantial

adjective
sub·​stan·​tial səb-ˈstan-chəl How to pronounce substantial (audio)
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
substantiality noun
substantially adverb

Legal Definition

substantial

adjective
sub·​stan·​tial səb-ˈstan-chəl How to pronounce substantial (audio)
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 crimeW. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr.
2
: considerable in quantity : significantly great
identification of serious and substantial failure to performU.S. Code
compare de minimis
substantiality noun
substantially adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on substantial

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