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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of substance
Students subsequently signed a pledge promising to say no to illicit substances and study two hours per night, and engaged in a call-and-response chant with Jackson.
—
Charlotte Observer, 17 Feb. 2026
Patulin is a mycotoxin, a naturally occurring substance produced by molds that typically grow on various fruits, particularly apples.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 17 Feb. 2026
But now, Teixeira says Dando’s hospitalization is his chance to take responsibility for his own substance use.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 17 Feb. 2026
That sentiment has more to do with substance than showmanship.
—Tom Kludt, Vanity Fair, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for substance
Charlotte Observer, 17 Feb. 2026
Patulin is a mycotoxin, a naturally occurring substance produced by molds that typically grow on various fruits, particularly apples.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 17 Feb. 2026
But now, Teixeira says Dando’s hospitalization is his chance to take responsibility for his own substance use.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 17 Feb. 2026
That sentiment has more to do with substance than showmanship.
—Tom Kludt, Vanity Fair, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for substance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substance
Noun
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Forecasters with the National Weather Service are warning that Thursday should bring dangerous driving conditions in the mountains, with the potential for roadway closures in the Tejon Pass on the 5 Freeway.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
That could mean finding better ways to use Engram, who showed some flashes of big-play potential at times during his first season in Denver, but the team should also view the upcoming NFL Draft as an opportunity to add a talented target at the position who can grow in the offense over time.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is an amalgam of Hollywood archetypes, the essence of a big-screen hero boiled down and maybe left on the stove too long.—
Alex Galbraith,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Feb. 2026
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Each pad is soaked in a calming essence built around the brand’s proprietary Artemisia-Cica blend—a K-beauty-favorite pairing of artemisia (mugwort) and Centella asiatica.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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After the Apollo samples were returned to Earth and analyzed, textbooks were updated with a wealth of new information about the moon.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
-
What does this wealth tax in California do?—
Paris Barraza,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
When that occurs, the conditions within the new object’s interior may yet be right for nuclear fusion to proceed.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
20 Feb. 2026
-
At that point the lines painted on the asphalt turn from cages into features of the landscape among many others, and the mysterious flying object ceases to be easily recognizable.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
For the first few billion years of cosmic history, galaxies formed and grew by accreting more and more material from the intergalactic medium, as well as by merging together to form larger, more mature galaxies.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
20 Feb. 2026
-
While the weight and material of the set is noteworthy, the beautiful matelassé-style pattern—complete with floral motifs and geometric designs—adds a sophisticated touch to any space.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The grant is part of the Prebys Foundation’s Healing Through Arts and Nature initiative to help community groups provide arts, culture and nature to support healing for community members across San Diego County.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
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Witness the scale and ferocity of nature’s most powerful forces – from hurricanes and flash floods to droughts and bushfires – and discover the ingenious ways nature endures, adapts and prevails against these new extremes.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Despite ongoing talks, the White House has been briefed that the US military could be ready for an attack by the weekend, after a buildup in recent days of air and naval assets in the Middle East, sources familiar with the matter told CNN.—
Farida Elsebai,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Sandy now serves as minister of works and public assets.—
ED DAVEY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Food and drink Onsite restaurant L’Escale is just as much a Greenwich institution as the hotel itself—a proper entity conveniently attached at the hip to your lodging for power lunchers in daylight, special-occasion diners in the evening, and a rotating cast of Hopper subjects always at the bar.—
Charlie Hobbs,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 Feb. 2026
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The bill also gives the legal right to anyone who is harmed by such material to seek a remedy and bring an action against the entity that distributed the material.—
Mohamed Suliman,
Boston Herald,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Substance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substance. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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