as in substantial
sufficiently large in size, amount, or number to merit attention
they've made substantive changes in the nightly newscast
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in nominal
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of substantive
Los Angeles Times, 17 Nov. 2022
Only seventeen members of Harmony, the party that represents the Russian minority and commands a substantive if declining amount of support, and two nonaffiliated members were opposed.
—Gordon F. Sander, The New York Review of Books, 6 July 2022
Cassandra Burke Robertson, The Conversation, 27 June 2025
Since returning to the White House, Trump has begun to implement a substantive program in ways Buckley could have only imagined a Republican president would.
—Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for substantive
Adjective
California’s climate agenda mixes the symbolic with the substantive.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Nov. 2022
Only seventeen members of Harmony, the party that represents the Russian minority and commands a substantive if declining amount of support, and two nonaffiliated members were opposed.
—Gordon F. Sander, The New York Review of Books, 6 July 2022
Noun
First, since a closely divided and polarized Congress rarely passes major legislation anymore, presidents rely more on executive orders to get substantive things done.
—Cassandra Burke Robertson, The Conversation, 27 June 2025
Since returning to the White House, Trump has begun to implement a substantive program in ways Buckley could have only imagined a Republican president would.
—Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for substantive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substantive
Adjective
-
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 prohibits state or federal governments from placing substantial burdens on a person's religious exercise except under certain conditions.—
Debra Utacia Krol,
AZCentral.com,
13 July 2025
-
Yet, unlike other federal agencies that received substantial boosts in budget and staffing, the Secret Service's resources grew only modestly.—
ByDonald J. Mihalek,
ABC News,
13 July 2025
Adjective
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While some savings are available to those without a Prime account, the best of these great deals and most significant discounts (as well as the fastest shipping times) are usually reserved for Prime members.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
9 July 2025
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The Rise of Indian Single Malt Whisky The launch of Amrut Fusion in 2009 marked a significant milestone.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
The two largest third parties in 2025 are the Libertarian and Green Parties, though neither are registered in all 50 states, presenting a considerable barrier in efforts to compete with the Democrats and GOP.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
8 July 2025
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Tips: Removing taxes on tips would provide considerable advantages to service industry workers like restaurant staff, delivery drivers, and gig workers, who depend heavily on gratuities for a large portion of their income.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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Tommy John surgery typically carries a recovery timeline of at least 12 months, which would put Schmidt on track to miss a sizable portion of next season, too.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
5 July 2025
-
Sony Pictures Entertainment has a sizable footprint in the anime sector through its ownership of Crunchyroll, a subscription streaming platform and content brand.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
4 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Substantive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substantive. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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