substantial

adjective

sub·​stan·​tial səb-ˈstan(t)-shəl 

1

a

: consisting of or relating to substance

b

: not imaginary or illusory : real, true

c

: important, essential

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

səb-ˌstan(t)-shē-ˈa-lə-tē 

noun

substantially

səb-ˈstan(t)-sh(ə-)lē 

adverb

substantialness

səb-ˈstan(t)-shəl-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• big
• consequential
• earth-shattering
• earthshaking
• eventful
• historic
• important
• major
• material
• meaningful
• momentous
• monumental
• much
• significant
• tectonic
• weighty

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 Rambler 42-Ounce Straw Mug, in particular, is popular for its substantial size — a worthy opponent of the Stanley Quencher. —Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 16 Apr. 2024

Most notably, Verizon was a launch partner for Disney+, giving many of its customers one free year of the service, and helping Disney+ gain substantial market share early on. —Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Apr. 2024

Both the president and vice president made substantial charitable donations. —Chris Morris, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2024

But long-term projections show that substantial reductions in water use will be necessary in the coming years to reduce risks of reservoirs reaching critically low levels. —Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024

Despite these substantial disagreements, the April 15 draft suggests that the treaty would be signed within two weeks. —Samuel Charap, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2024

Similarly, the Wahlberg house and Manhattan penthouse were also acquired at substantial discounts—the Wahlberg property at a 37% discount off its $87.5 million list and the N.Y.C. place at 47% below the original ask. —James McClain, Robb Report, 16 Apr. 2024

Although Trump's stake in the company has gone up and down in value, it's still currently valued at about $2 billion — a substantial sum for a company that lost $58 million last year and had marginal revenue. —Rafael Nam, NPR, 15 Apr. 2024

The excessively wealthy accrue the most substantial benefits from the housing market structure. —Gabriela Sandoval, The Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids 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

substantiality

-ˌstan-chē-ˈal-ət-ē 

noun

substantially

-ˈstanch-(ə-)lē 

adverb

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.

2

: considerable in quantity : significantly great

identification of serious and substantial failure to perform

—U.S. Code

compare de minimis

substantiality

-ˌstan-chē-ˈa-lə-tē 

noun

substantially adverb