Synonyms of substance

substance

noun

ˈsəb-stən(t)s 

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

• potential
• material
• potentiality
• making
• timber
• raw material
• stuff
• possibility
• metal
• matter

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

• essence
• nature
• soul
• manifestation
• being
• stuff
• essentiality
• aspect
• quiddity
• quintessence
• heart
• core
• name of the game
• property
• spirit
• attribute
• center
• pith
• marrow
• feature
• incarnation
• personification
• kernel
• seat
• gist
• keynote
• embodiment
• epitome
• alpha and omega
• nub

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

• wealth
• assets
• money
• capital
• things
• worth
• funds
• means
• riches
• effects
• fortune
• opulence
• possessions
• success
• holdings
• prosperity
• wherewithal
• property
• resources
• savings
• paraphernalia
• finances
• belongings
• abundance
• chattels
• wallet
• personalty
• affluence
• personal property
• acquisition
• treasure
• deep pockets
• treasury
• bankroll
• accession
• valuables
• nest egg
• reserve

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• liabilities
• debts
• indebtedness

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

• object
• entity
• reality
• thing
• something
• individual
• being
• commodity
• body
• matter
• subject
• individuality
• existent
• material
• integer
• quantity
• stuff

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• nonentity

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of substance

View this post on X The group credited her with helping secure funding for veterans’ housing and supporting the PACT Act, which expanded health care and benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances. — Sam Stevenson, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2026

Cytokines help your immune system mount a defense when germs or other harmful substances enter your body. — Kara McGrath, Allure, 11 Nov. 2026

On its face, biography is the genre of the integral subject—a person interacting with others but distinct from them, not dissolving in a sea of substance. — Kieran Setiya, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2026

The group says mental health challenges among young people aren’t just the typical issues of the past like substance abuse, but also the dangers posed by new technologies like artificial intelligence. — Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Nov. 2026

Phrases Containing substance

• sum and substance