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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of insubstantial
Trump and Musk are truly onions made of glass: shiny orbs of one insubstantial layer over another, with nothing in the center, liable to be shattered under the slightest pressure.
—
Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
Nineteen is certainly a lot lower than 42, but, um, 19 over the course of 94 episodes of television is not exactly and insubstantial amount.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 28 Apr. 2025
YouTube videos as addictive and insubstantial as cotton candy needed my immediate intervention.
—Michael Alcée, Hartford Courant, 13 Apr. 2025
Bashar was an ophthalmology student in London, a weak-chinned introvert who was widely seen as a bit insubstantial.
—Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for insubstantial
Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
Nineteen is certainly a lot lower than 42, but, um, 19 over the course of 94 episodes of television is not exactly and insubstantial amount.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 28 Apr. 2025
YouTube videos as addictive and insubstantial as cotton candy needed my immediate intervention.
—Michael Alcée, Hartford Courant, 13 Apr. 2025
Bashar was an ophthalmology student in London, a weak-chinned introvert who was widely seen as a bit insubstantial.
—Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for insubstantial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insubstantial
Adjective
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The hit isn’t unsubstantial: In 2024, textile exports to the United States accounted for 10.7 percent of China’s total textile exports, valued at $14.8 billion, and 22.7 percent of China’s total apparel exports, or $36.1 billion’s worth.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
5 May 2025
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The algorithm fed the Giants pitcher a savory yet unsubstantial diet of short-form content.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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While religious affiliation has been dropping for decades, the spiritual impulse hasn’t.—
Arianna Huffington,
Time,
8 Aug. 2025
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By promoting spiritual values alongside an abundance mindset, nonprofits can cultivate the intrinsic motivation and cultural resilience essential for sustaining their missions.—
Yujia Zhu,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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That’s a flimsy defense and one more log on the fire for Mills.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Aug. 2025
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The keys are flimsy and have been reported to break.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In fact, magical life has the potential to be even more radically incorporeal than our own.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 June 2025
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To the casual observer, the data industry can seem incorporeal, its products conjured out of weightless bits.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
30 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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No matter how far-fetched the premise or gossamer-thin the story, the musical invites (compels) us to go along with its essential surrealism, to travel to that dream space where everyday life suddenly moves and sounds deliriously out of this world.—
Manohla Dargis,
New York Times,
7 May 2020
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For her label Anissa Aida, designer Anissa Meddeb, who lives in the capital, makes gossamer silk blouses evoking the striped motif of handwoven fouta towels and voluminous coats inspired by the burnoose cloaks worn by Berbers.—
Sarah Khan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Feb. 2020
Adjective
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Vendors will offer beads, minerals, gemstones, custom jewelry, fossils, artifacts, and metaphysical stones.—
Joe Rassel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 Aug. 2025
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The series invites fans on a metaphysical road trip through the West Coast sunset with a euphoric lineup designed to illuminate audiences and create space for community, connection and spiritual transformation.—
Caroline Tell,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
Adjective
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After pausing at its frothy edge, the young male dove into the surf and disappeared.—
Steven Rosenfeld,
Mercury News,
4 Aug. 2025
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Then, use an immersion blender until the milk is frothy, and pour it over your coffee.—
Lauren Thomann,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 July 2025
Adjective
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These species play a crucial role in maintaining balance within the fragile ecosystem.—
Lauren Liebhaber,
Miami Herald,
14 Aug. 2025
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At the same time, Jota’s death has brought certain things into sharp context, about how fragile life — and within that, something like a football career — can be.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Insubstantial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insubstantial. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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