Synonyms of substantial

substantial

adjective

səb-ˈstan(t)-shəl 

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

• significant
• major
• important
• historic
• big
• much
• meaningful
• monumental
• tectonic
• exceptional
• momentous
• distinguished
• consequential
• remarkable
• eventful
• weighty
• pivotal
• material
• outstanding
• earthshaking
• decisive
• serious
• notable
• earth-shattering
• noteworthy
• distinctive
• strategic
• prominent
• great
• worthy
• valuable
• seminal
• impressive
• crucial
• fatal
• worthwhile
• earnest
• sincere
• fateful
• key
• critical
• famous
• eminent
• grave
• central
• prestigious
• essential
• illustrious
• heavy
• all-important
• vital
• notorious
• renowned
• noble
• preeminent

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• small
• little
• minor
• slight
• negligible
• insignificant
• trivial
• inconsiderable
• unimportant
• trifling
• inconsequential
• worthless
• petty
• paltry
• unknown
• obscure
• anonymous
• nameless
• uncelebrated

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

• large
• considerable
• sizable
• big
• huge
• great
• vast
• oversize
• handsome
• tidy
• colossal
• staggering
• tremendous
• excessive
• massive
• enormous
• voluminous
• gigantic
• hefty
• bulky
• outsize
• goodly
• ample
• immense
• grand
• major
• husky
• largish
• extravagant
• boxcar
• mammoth
• spacious
• biggish
• astronomical
• appreciable
• monumental
• stupendous
• prodigious
• gargantuan
• plentiful
• mountainous
• hulking
• humongous
• inordinate
• cosmic
• whopping
• copious
• super
• abundant
• monolithic
• exorbitant
• extreme
• cavernous
• titanic
• elephantine
• gross
• monstrous
• galactic
• herculean
• heroic
• jumbo
• thick
• bumper
• immoderate
• cyclopean
• Himalayan
• pharaonic
• vasty
• Brobdingnagian
• supersized
• walloping
• whacking
• hellacious
• commodious
• leviathan
• king-size
• capacious
• super-duper
• roomy
• Bunyanesque
• fat

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• small
• little
• smallish
• puny
• dwarf
• dinky
• tiny
• undersized
• dwarfish
• minuscule
• infinitesimal
• microscopic
• diminutive
• miniature
• mini
• wee
• teensy
• little bitty
• slight
• teeny
• minute
• shrimpy
• pocket-size
• bantam
• pygmy
• Lilliputian
• thin
• slender
• half-pint
• slim
• petite
• teensy-weensy
• teeny-weeny
• microminiature
• pint-size

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

• physical
• concrete
• tangible
• visible
• material
• noticeable
• apparent
• solid
• appreciable
• objective
• discernible
• perceptible
• massive
• detectable
• observable
• corporeal
• embodied
• sensible
• bodily
• phenomenal
• palpable
• heavy
• corporal
• carnal
• hefty
• bulky
• weighty
• ponderous
• seeable
• touchable
• fleshly

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• immaterial
• nonmaterial
• nonphysical
• insubstantial
• unsubstantial
• incorporeal
• disembodied
• intangible
• invisible
• formless
• imperceptible
• thin
• ethereal
• bodiless
• discarnate
• unnoticeable
• tenuous
• spiritual
• impalpable
• vaporous
• insensible
• unbodied
• metaphysical
• diaphanous
• airy
• wispish
• gossamery

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

• considerable
• significant
• sizable
• major
• tremendous
• good
• huge
• substantive
• big
• respectable
• handsome
• great
• healthy
• massive
• goodly
• tidy
• largish
• biggish
• enormous
• voluminous
• hefty
• colossal
• gigantic
• immense
• bulky
• oversize
• prodigious
• monumental
• outsize
• mammoth
• astronomical
• whopping
• monstrous
• titanic
• herculean
• jumbo
• hulking
• elephantine
• bumper
• king-size

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• negligible
• nominal
• insignificant
• inconsiderable
• insubstantial
• inconsequential
• trivial
• marginal
• unimportant
• trifling
• slight
• meager
• petty
• small
• puny
• paltry
• little
• minute
• tiny
• piddling
• measly
• picayune
• undersized
• smallish
• pocket
• diminutive
• miniature
• picayunish
• bitty
• pocket-size
• pygmy
• pint-size

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of substantial

Industry schedules point to more flying capacity, potentially intensifying competition for passengers even as fuel ​prices are expected to stay high and making this year’s substantial fare gains harder to repeat. — Reuters, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026

Earlier this month, the company was informed there would be a substantial rent increase at the start of 2027. — Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026

Ordinarily, the United States enjoys a substantial diesel surplus and is the world’s largest diesel exporter. — Tatiana Mitrova, Foreign Affairs, 23 Oct. 2026

Although much of the information behind these plans has been previously reported at Ars Technica and elsewhere, this marked the first time NASA has laid them out in detail and acknowledged some substantial changes in the architecture. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 23 Oct. 2026