1
as in potential
the basic elements from which something can be developed
many thought that the mayor's speech lacked substance because specific proposals for solving the city's problems were few
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in essence
the quality or qualities that make a thing what it is
tireless caring and nurturing that was the very substance of maternal love
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in wealth
the total of one's money and property
measure the worth of a person not by his earthly substance but by his good deeds
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in object
one that has a real and independent existence
the question of whether the soul is a substance entirely independent of the body
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of substance
Musk recently embraced the phrase with a meme of eyes reddened from the intoxicating exhaustion of situation monitoring—a recreation more stimulating, the joke goes, than any chemical substance.
—
Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2026
Gutchess stood up and directed Cortiñas to continue only with questions related to the substance of the case.
—Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
An unknown substance was also found in the vehicle, sources told TMZ.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2026
The team likely won’t score only six percent of its shots forever, but Detroit needs more substance behind it, considering the team’s xG rate is in the bottom 10 of the league.
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for substance
Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2026
Gutchess stood up and directed Cortiñas to continue only with questions related to the substance of the case.
—Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
An unknown substance was also found in the vehicle, sources told TMZ.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2026
The team likely won’t score only six percent of its shots forever, but Detroit needs more substance behind it, considering the team’s xG rate is in the bottom 10 of the league.
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for substance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substance
Noun
-
The finding has the potential to provide a longer runway to make the lifestyle changes that can help reduce risk, and could be used to better identify subjects who could benefit from participating in clinical trials seeking to prevent or treat neurodegenerative disease.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Mar. 2026
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The system has progressed through multiple stages of technical evaluation and validation, demonstrating its potential for operational use in counter-UAV missions.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
For anyone hoping to catch this year’s superbloom, time is of the essence.—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
8 Mar. 2026
-
They were introduced in the 1960s, but something about their branding and essence feels straight out of the 1990s.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Van Hollen's plan would not raise as much as Sanders', but Van Hollen's is less likely to face constitutional challenges, as experts have long debated the legality of a national wealth tax.—
JEFF STEIN THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
6 Mar. 2026
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Darius Anderson, a longtime lobbyist in the state Capitol who played a role in the 2013 effort to keep the Sacramento Kings from leaving the city, stands accused of fraud by his longtime business partner Ron Burkle, a grocery store magnate whose wealth is estimated to be in the billions.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Balat then dropped a second object near some police officers and tried to run, but he was tackled and arrested, according to a court complaint.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
-
And just as a computer eventually morphed into a physical object with a circuit board and chips, another evolution is now underway.—
Alexei Oreskovic,
Fortune,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The disaster led to an extensive decontamination effort to clean up nuclear material dispersed when conventional explosives in the hydrogen bombs detonated after hitting the ground.—
Kim Tong-Hyung,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
-
If Zimbabwe’s new processing push succeeds, the country could transform itself from a raw-materials exporter into a key node in the battery supply chain.—
Ray Mwayera,
semafor.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This discovery sheds light not only on the nature of our solar system, but the evolution of the galaxy itself.—
Charles Q. Choi,
Space.com,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Consider moving a meeting to protect family time, because a small adjustment could restore steadiness without sacrificing your supportive nature.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The United States and its allies are trying to break China’s dominance in battery supply chains, while Chinese companies have spent heavily securing mining assets across Africa.—
Ray Mwayera,
semafor.com,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Mobix Labs highlighted that governments and infrastructure operators are increasingly investing in technologies that can improve situational awareness, detect threats earlier, and protect critical assets, as per the release.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In Sparks of Hope, Mario and his friends join forces with their Rabbid counterparts to defeat an evil entity named Cursa, who wants to consume Sparks and spread a debilitating matter called Darkmess throughout the universe.—
George Yang,
PC Magazine,
9 Mar. 2026
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In the letter, the groups — including the Environmental Defense Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council and NextGen California — called for the state to set stricter limits on how much covered entities can emit under the program.—
Chaewon Chung
March 9,
Sacbee.com,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Substance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substance. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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