1
as in unsubstantial
being of a material lacking in sturdiness or substance
an insubstantial carton that could not possibly stand up during long-distance shipping
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spiritual
not composed of matter
energy is insubstantial
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of insubstantial
Scarlet’s good intentions to end wars by way of sheer determination to do what’s right might prove insubstantial in practice.
—
Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Oliver Rackham, the great historian of the British countryside, devoted a not insubstantial portion of his career to rebutting this claim, noting that there is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that these punishments were ever carried out.
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
And since the lesser and insubstantial always has to give place to the greater and substantial, self-indulgent lust has no choice but to make way for our reflection of pure and perfect Love.
—Tony Lobl, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Oct. 2025
These insubstantial claims did not improve much after the European powers departed.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for insubstantial
Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Oliver Rackham, the great historian of the British countryside, devoted a not insubstantial portion of his career to rebutting this claim, noting that there is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that these punishments were ever carried out.
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
And since the lesser and insubstantial always has to give place to the greater and substantial, self-indulgent lust has no choice but to make way for our reflection of pure and perfect Love.
—Tony Lobl, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Oct. 2025
These insubstantial claims did not improve much after the European powers departed.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for insubstantial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insubstantial
Adjective
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This can alter the amount and types of ACE-inhibiting peptides created during fermentation2—and possibly account for kombucha's unsubstantial effect on blood pressure.—
MD Published,
Verywell Health,
27 Dec. 2025
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Then again … This really does sum up Reeves’s unsubstantial performance as Jonathan Harker, whose new client is definitely up to no good.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Related Stories The project will explore Gaudí’s life, inner battles and spiritual evolution, framing the architect as a radical creative force shaped by faith and an increasingly austere existence.—
Emiliano de Pablos,
Variety,
16 June 2026
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He’s also teamed with Sam Obey, Will Epstein, and Celia Hollander to explore drifting ambient music and spiritual jazz.—
Dash Lewis,
Pitchfork,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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This makes for easy release, but some users find this material flimsy and hard to manage with liquid.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2026
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Investing in a decadent body butter is like upgrading your flimsy blanket to a plush throw or changing scratchy sheets for a luxurious cotton set—the small change makes a huge difference in your life.—
Irene Richardson,
InStyle,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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Followers of the Abrahamic religions are supposed to treat God as immaterial and incorporeal, yet these early Yahweh worshippers imagined him as fully embodied.—
Manvir Singh,
New Yorker,
9 Mar. 2026
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Positioned as a large-scale genre event, the series updates the legendary SFX property with a contemporary political and social edge, with Shun Oguri leading the cast as a detective hunting a seemingly incorporeal killer.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But a gossamer jacket tossed over a swimsuit on a breezy evening?—
Jennifer Noyes,
Air Mail,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The type of memory flashbacks that are shot at knee level, gauzy and out of focus, with a gossamer visual touch to conjure whispering, buried emotions of the past.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Instrumental rock music of the kind Horse Lords make—hypnotic, hyper-focused, complex—usually carries a whiff of manifesto, offering a map toward transcendence of some political, metaphysical, or pick-your-variety kind.—
Jayson Greene,
Pitchfork,
16 June 2026
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Rationality lurks in theology from the beginning, just as philosophy never shakes off its yearning for the metaphysical.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Adjective
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That would get in the way of the frothy nature the storytelling aims for.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
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Like the best summer reads, this novel combines frothy romance and will-they-won't-they tension in equal measure.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
5 June 2026
Adjective
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Yum no longer shares the same-store sales of the chain’s domestic business, implying that the segment is now considered immaterial to the company’s broader results.—
Amelia Lucas,
CNBC,
15 June 2026
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None of these readings are so emphatic as to render the others immaterial, and the pervading ambivalence paired with a steady but creeping pace could turn off viewers who just want a good mystery to solve.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Insubstantial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insubstantial. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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