substances

plural of substance
1
2
as in entities
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of substances Medications, substances and health conditions can all play a role. Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2025 Their research shows that microbes and iron minerals can work together to strip toxic substances from soil efficiently and sustainably, without heavy machinery or harmful chemicals. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025 McGarvey officials said the Thursday incident serves as a reminder to families to carefully check packaging, and keep medicines and recreational substances secured and out of children’s reach. Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2025 Atherosclerosis Atherosclerosis is a condition where cholesterol and fatty substances build up in the walls of arteries. Devineé Lingo, Health, 23 Oct. 2025 While kicking my favorite food substances, my curiosity kicked in. Connie Bennett, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025 Part of the larger family of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs), these synthetics are now synonymous with numerous environmental and public health issues. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 22 Oct. 2025 Hydrophobic soil is particularly problematic after a wildfire when soil particles become coated with waxy substances as organic matter decomposes. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025 The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has developed turbine blades constructed from recycled plant substances using sugars extracted from wood, plant residues, used cooking oil, and agricultural waste. Ariel Cohen, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substances
Noun
  • Infused in cleansers, toners, and even essences, K-beauty’s exfoliating ingredients are often gentle and appear alongside hydrators to keep skin comfortable, while still delivering their brightening, smoothing, and resurfacing benefits.
    Deanna Pai, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2025
  • The songs pack a wide range of elements into a single track, starting with rock, pop, soul, funk, dub, club music, and rap, plus various other essences, from singer-songwriter-like qualities to music originating from Japan’s internet like Vocaloid.
    Billboard Japan, Billboard, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • These anthropological detectives of sorts are charged with quietly monitoring, researching and investigating the supernatural entities that make up the Immortal Universe.
    Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Yet even these entities will adapt, either by exploiting visa loopholes, relying more heavily on student-to-H-1B conversions, or shifting toward the L-1 visa category, which remains unaffected by the new fee.
    Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • But, as Walken observes, there was strength in those natures that cemented the foundation of Anne and Jerry's relationships.
    Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Oct. 2025
  • The track seemed to play on Williams’ fandom for the music icon, while also drawing comparisons between their outspoken natures.
    Sophie Williams, Billboard, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Examples include huge catching nets, or docking with stray objects to force them back down into Earth's atmosphere.
    Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 26 Oct. 2025
  • According to reseachers, grabbing legs combined AL contraction with PL bending to wrap and lift objects up to 6 g—30 times the leg’s weight—with 90 percent performance retained after 100 cycles.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Aneurysms form when a weak spot develops in a blood vessel wall, often due to things like high blood pressure, smoking, or genetics.
    Sohaib Imtiaz, Health, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Meghan’s travel formula is warm, comfortable, and practical for holiday getaways, which is why now is a good time to copy her pieces before things really get busy.
    Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • As infrastructure investments grow, governments are demanding that large language models deployed in Africa actually reflect local realities, given that nearly a billion Africans are still offline while LLMs are trained on internet data, Kallot said.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025
  • In the meantime, the realities of the shutdown are worsening.
    Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Substances.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substances. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on substances

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!