substantial

adjective

səb-ˈstan(t)-shəl How to pronounce substantial (audio)
Definition of substantialnext
1
as in significant
having great meaning or lasting effect substantial changes to the school dress code that made a lot of people unhappy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in large
of a size greater than average of its kind the amount he inherited was quite substantial, so he quit his job and set out to see the world

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in physical
relating to or composed of matter the Land of Oz turned out to be a world of dreams, even less substantial than a rainbow

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in considerable
sufficiently large in size, amount, or number to merit attention there's been a substantial increase in attendance at girls' volleyball games ever since the start of their winning streak

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 substantial The travel boom is unlikely to end this year or next barring a substantial economic downturn. — Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 27 July 2026 To address this challenge, the company has made substantial investments in new formulations for tile materials, standardizing shapes, and more. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 27 July 2026 All of Dach, Poitras and Geekie have played a substantial number of games in the NHL over the past three seasons. — Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 27 July 2026 However, the gap between the women’s race — the Tour de France Femmes — is even more substantial, as the 2026 race will only pay out about €250,000. — Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 26 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for substantial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substantial
  1. significant
  2. large
  3. physical
  4. considerable
  5. major
  6. sizable
  7. concrete
  8. important
Adjective
  • Viridi stated that the partnership represents a significant step in its mission to bring safe, reliable battery energy storage to the infrastructure applications that matter most, from grid modernization research to real-world utility deployment.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The Braves have made a second significant deal ahead of Monday’s trade deadline.
    — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of significant
Adjective
  • Its brightest stars form a large cross, often called the Northern Cross, with Deneb marking the top and colorful double-star Albireo the base.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The emergence of additional Chinese prototypes suggests that competition between the world’s two largest military powers is extending beyond current fifth-generation aircraft into the race for future air dominance.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of large
Adjective
  • The task force points out that the physical environment and forces of nature can affect drones’ performance disproportionately.
    — Zita Ballinger Fletcher, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
  • In a handwritten criminal complaint, Patty’s ex-wife described a disturbing physical altercation that allegedly left her with a swollen arm, neck pain and a bump on her head.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026
Definition of physical
Adjective
  • All of that may drive people to consider a trip to the beach, but the weather service said that option could come with considerable danger this week.
    — Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 27 July 2026
  • Studies have shown that mosquitoes often show a consistent preference for some people more than others, often to a considerable degree.
    — Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 27 July 2026
Definition of considerable
Adjective
  • Two of the three major GOP candidates for Minnesota governor faced off in a debate on Friday night, 11 days before the August primary.
    — Esme Murphy, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • With Jupiter returning to the predawn sky, a comet lingering and the possibility of a nova explosion, August offers almost every major kind of celestial event in a single month.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of major
Adjective
  • Reeves also notably signed over a sizable portion of his back-end deal for the Matrix sequels to members of the special-effects and costume -design departments.
    — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 31 July 2026
  • For RBs, there are sizeable cliffs to be aware of, most notably early — after the elites Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs, and then Christian McCaffrey and Jonathan Taylor— and following the RB33.
    — Jake Ciely, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of sizable
Adjective
  • Since then, three more Manhattan office conversion projects have been ordered to partially pause or halt construction this month over issues ranging from missing paperwork to cracks in concrete beams.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
  • The witness said Richardson’s vehicle was failing to stay in the proper lane and was getting close to a concrete median, according to the affidavit.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 July 2026
Definition of concrete
Adjective
  • The most important rule of any total solar eclipse is to be inside the narrow path of totality rather than merely close to it.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The most important way that European landscapes are changing is that unprecedented numbers of people are leaving rural areas, a phenomenon that has accelerated in the last fifty years.
    — M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of important

Browse Nearby Words

substandard
substantial
substantiality
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Substantial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substantial. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on substantial

Nglish: Translation of substantial for Spanish Speakers

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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of mitigate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All