substantive

adjective sub·stan·tive \ ˈsəb-stən-tiv ; senses 3c & 4 also səb-ˈstan-tiv \

Updated on: 13 Apr 2018

Definition of substantive

1 : having substance : involving matters of major or practical importance to all concerned

substantive discussions among world leaders

2 : considerable in amount or numbers : substantial

made substantive progress

3 a : real rather than apparent : firm

need substantive evidence to prove her guilt

; also : permanent, enduring

b : belonging to the substance of a thing : essential

c : expressing existence

the substantive verb is the verb to be

4 a : having the nature or function of a noun

a substantive phrase

b : relating to or having the character of a noun or pronominal term in logic

5 : creating and defining rights and duties

substantive law

— compare procedural

6 : requiring or involving no mordant

a substantive dyeing process

7 : being a totally independent entity

—

substantively

adverb

—

substantiveness

noun

See substantive defined for English-language learners

substantive was our Word of the Day on 05/14/2010. Hear the podcast!

Examples of substantive in a Sentence

"This was not a drive-by P.R. stunt, and I actually thought it might be," said Representative Zach Wamp, Republican of Tennessee. "It was a substantive, in-depth discussion with our conference, and he's very effective." —Jackie Calmes & Carl Hulse, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2009
The first substantive issue that the Supreme Court considered in its Brown opinion was whether, as originally understood, the Fourteenth Amendment prohibited racial segregation in public schooling. The justices concluded that the historical record was inconclusive. —Randall Kennedy, New Republic, 5 & 12 July 2004
The common critique of art's pleasures and entertainments—that they are trivial, devoid of substantive value, and degrading of art's genuine worth—rests on ignoring this diversity by making two false assumptions: first, that there is basically one kind of aesthetic pleasure in art's entertainment and, secondly, that this pleasure is always a shallow and trivial one, which distracts us from interest in art's real meaning and truth. —Richard Shusterman, Let's Entertain: Life's Guilty Pleasures, 2000
These changes are more symbolic than substantive.
No substantive changes were made to the document.
There is no substantive reason to change the law.

Recent Examples of substantive from the Web

The United States has actively supported continuing substantive discussions [at the U.N.] on the potential challenges and benefits under the law of war presented by weapons with autonomous functions.

— billy perrigo, Time, "A Global Arms Race for Killer Robots Is Transforming the Battlefield," 9 Apr. 2018
The 26-year-old righty hasn’t made any substantive changes to his repertoire, so this could be no more than a decent two-start sample, but there’s value in nearly all fantasy formats in guys who can be reliable SP5 types.

— michael beller, SI.com, "Reynaldo Lopez Highlights the Waiver Wire," 6 Apr. 2018
Arguably, there is no substantive policy change involved.

— The Economist, "How the Dutch will take Britain’s place in Europe," 28 Mar. 2018
For all the angst and raw emotions, grieving and weary family members appear skeptical that any substantive change will result before the next young black man dies from police gunfire.

— Fox News, "Sacramento city council cancels meeting for Stephon Clark's wake," 28 Mar. 2018
As the story spread, Liang's employer, Yicai, posted a video of her at last weekend's commerce ministry press conference, ostensibly to contrast her more brief and substantive question to that of Zhang's.

— steven jiang, CNN, "Reporter's viral eye roll causes trouble with Chinese censors," 14 Mar. 2018
China has very few substantive animal welfare laws of any kind.

— ferris jabr, Smithsonian, "It’s Official: Fish Feel Pain," 8 Jan. 2018
For Bibi, though, all these substantive issues were secondary.

— gregg carlstrom, Newsweek, "The Fall of Benjamin Netanyahu and the Future of Israel," 15 Mar. 2018
Rahm could have had a substantive discussion about these issues with U. of C. behavioral economist and Nobel prize winner Richard Thaler.

— maya dukmasova, Chicago Reader, "Rahm’s Chicago Stories podcast takes you inside the mind of the mayor," 14 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'substantive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of substantive

Middle English, from Anglo-French sustentif — see ²substantive

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 7

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substantive Synonyms

Other Grammar and Linguistics Terms

ablaut, allusion, anacoluthon, diacritic, gerund, idiom, infinitive, metaphor, semiotics, simile

substantive

noun sub·stan·tive \ ˈsəb-stən-tiv \

Definition of substantive

: noun; broadly : a word or word group functioning syntactically as a noun

—

substantivize

play \ˈsəb-stən-ti-ˌvīz\ transitive verb

See substantive defined for English-language learners

See substantive defined for kids

Did You Know?

Substantive was borrowed into Middle English from the Anglo-French adjective sustentif, meaning "having or expressing substance," and can be traced back to the Latin verb substare, which literally means "to stand under." Figuratively, the meaning of "substare" is best understood as "to stand firm" or "to hold out." Since the 14th century, we have used "substantive" to speak of that which is of enough "substance" to stand alone, or be independent. By the 19th century the word evolved related meanings, such as "enduring" and "essential." It also shares some senses with "substantial," such as "considerable in quantity."

Origin and Etymology of substantive

Middle English substantif, from Anglo-French sustentif, from sustentif, adjective, having or expressing substance, from Late Latin substantivus, from Latin substantia

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

SUBSTANTIVE Defined for English Language Learners

substantive

adjective

Definition of substantive for English Language Learners

: important, real, or meaningful
: supported by facts or logic

Law Dictionary

substantive

adjective sub·stan·tive \ ˈsəb-stən-tiv \

legal Definition of substantive

1 : of or relating to a matter of substance as opposed to form or procedure

a substantive issue

the substantive instructions to the jury

was dismissed on procedural and substantive grounds

— compare procedural

2 : affecting rights, duties, or causes of actions

a substantive statutory change

a substantive rule of law

3 : existing in its own right; specifically : of or relating to a substantive crime

the object of a RICO conspiracy is to violate a substantive RICO provision
—United States v. Elliot, 571 F.2d 880 (1978)

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substantiveness

substantive was our Word of the Day on 05/14/2010. Hear the podcast!

Examples of substantive in a Sentence

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Origin and Etymology of substantive

substantive Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

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Other Grammar and Linguistics Terms

substantive

Definition of substantive

substantivize

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Origin and Etymology of substantive

SUBSTANTIVE Defined for English Language Learners

substantive

Definition of substantive for English Language Learners

Law Dictionary

substantive

legal Definition of substantive

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